Colors
by Readergirl37
Summary: Another soulmate au! Where you only see color once you meet your soulmate, and it goes away when they die. Before you meet your soulmate it's black and white. Elijah/Elena universe alterations to the plot of season two. multichapter
1. Deals In Color

Disclaimer: I do not own anything

She remembers being nervous, she remembers terror and she remembers Rose announcing Elijah had arrived. She doesn't remember anything after that. She's on the couch she was on earlier and there are four vampires staring at her. One is unfamiliar and she blink blink blinks.

She's never actually seen-the new vampire-Elijah. He had to be the reason. She sees color now.

"Elijah-" Rose trails off.

"You're free to go." He tells her and she's gone. The Salvatores both begin to speak and Elijah silences them with a look.

"I want to talk to the doppelganger. Alone. Let me or one of your heads will be on the floor in a few seconds." The thought reminds Elena that Trevor is missing, she sits up, and gasps when she sees Trevor's head on the floor. She smells blood.

"Alright." Stefan says, and Damon looks pissed. Elijah looks at her, and she gets up from the couch, and walks with him. In a flash, she feels his hand on her arm, and they're in a forest, surrounded by trees. He looks at her like he wants to figure out exactly how she works.

"You're my-" She can't say the word.

"Your bodyguards can't hear." He tells her.

"We're soulmates?" She asks him, and he nods.

"This doesn't change my plans, however." He tells her, and she keeps looking at him, and then the trees behind him. She wonders what color their leaves are. Blue?

"What plans?" She asks.

"I intend to use you to lure out Klaus and kill him." He says casually, like they're talking about the weather.

"You're going to-" She trails off. She doesn't know him. But she wants to. She doesn't believe he'd let her die-she would never let him, if only for the colors.

"Lure him out so he can break his curse. The sun and moon curse is fake. It's Klaus's curse. It is a very long story, one I will tell you someday. I'm prepared to make a deal with you to placate your bodyguards." He says. She wants to be mad, she is his soulmate in all senses of the word-and he's making a deal. But she hasn't seen what he has seen. She has no idea what he's doing or what he's lived through. She has no idea how old he is, but she trusts him.

"What kind of a deal?" She barely recognizes her own voice.

"I will protect your loved ones, in return-you assist me in killing Klaus." He says.

"You tell your loved ones of the first half. I intend to lure him out, keep you safe and kill him. However, no one else needs to know that we are soulmates." He says, and she looks at him, with a raised eyebrow.

"If it is discovered that you are my soulmate, someone might kidnap you and attempt to use you to get to me. Or vice versa. It is safer for both of us that we do not discuss this until Klaus is dead."

"Deal." She says. He grins, and they're back-the Salvatores cast suspicious looks at him, intending to lead her out of the house.

"Oh, and Elena?" He asks, and she turns around.

"I look forward to seeing you in the near future." He says and gives her another grin.


	2. Trees and Eyes

AN: This fic skips around, there's no real set pace to it. It just happened, sorry guys.

She has to explain most of the deal to the unhappy Salvatores, and when they arrive at her house, she closes the door and locks it. Her windows are locked. She doesn't want the Salvatores in her house. She wants to look up what words go with what colors and sleep.

She's relieved when she reaches her room and it's empty. She discovers that trees have green leaves, and they change to yellow and orange and red in the fall. She's never seen that before. She's excited like she never has been before about the seasons changing.

She dreams of trees with purple and blue leaves and dark eyes.


	3. Feelings

AN: Timelapse of a few weeks, Elijah has been invited in, werewolf drama of season two is over for now

It's a while until she gets used to their arrangement-Elijah visits her everyday. Not part of the deal, but she doesn't mind. He's still a puzzle to her. He slowly gives her pieces. Sometimes they talk, sometimes they don't. Sometimes he sits next to her, other times, he keeps his distance. Sometimes she wants to kiss him, but she reminds herself that they could be walked in on at any moment. There have been several times they have almost been interrupted doing-whatever the hell it is that they're doing. He always wears a suit, something she points out every so often. She can't imagine him in normal clothes now. She almost doesn't want to. He looks too good in those suits of his. They talk about history, and everything but their feelings. Other than their bond of trust, she pretends like none of her other feelings for him exist. Like she definitely doesn't want to feel those lips against hers. He glances at her and she turns crimson. Nope, definitely not.

She tells him that she'll be at her family's lake house, it's the day before they leave.

"May I visit you there?" He asks. She nods. She writes down the address, and it's odd how much she trusts him. She's barely scratched the surface of the information she wants from him, and he hopes that he trusts her. He does trust her, and it's an odd concept. It's fragile, however, and they're both worried about what will happen if it breaks.


	4. Fading Tears

It's nice, quiet and relaxing. She loves her best friends, and being away from the vampires and werewolves of Mystic Falls is refreshing. Elena could almost pretend they were normal again. She tells Elijah that he could visit in a few hours, By then, Caroline and Bonnie would be asleep.

* * *

He agrees, telling her he's at a dinner party of Damon's. She worries with half of her mind, the Salvatores hadn't liked him from day one. Not a good idea to cross him. Damon was reckless-she wants to tell Elijah to leave, if he can without being rude. Then Caroline hands her ice cream and makes her pick their next movie. Part of her is still worried about Elijah. She tries to forget, and then she makes the excuse to go use the restroom. She can feel anticipation growing and she makes a pained keening noise as she closes the door. The colors fade in her vision. They're dimmed.

"Elena?" Caroline asks, concerned.

"I think it's just cramps." Elena says, and she can barely tell colors apart. She texts Elijah, she knows that if he's dead, no one can get into his phone, he has a few lockscreens he's let her try to pass and she still can't- and then she texts Damon after two minutes.

"What did you do?" She asks, angrily. His response is:

"You're welcome. I killed the big bad original. Well, technically Ric did. Team effort."

* * *

She wants to scream at Damon-Elijah is their only powerful ally. She doesn't respond, her eyes hurt too badly. Elijah is dying. A few tears escape her eyes, from pain or feelings she can't tell-she wipes them away before rejoining her friends. There's a heavy weight on her now. Her soulmate and only chance against Klaus is dying or dead. Elena is glad she picked a sad movie. Her tears aren't unusual.


	5. Holey Temperatures

AN: Let's just pretend Elena, Jeremy and Jenna are like co-owners of the lake house

She's cried all of the tears she can handle, Bonnie and Caroline are asleep on the couch next to each other. Her eyes are sliding closed when she hears her phone buzz. She looks at it. Elijah. She's wide awake, and she realizes she can see in color. He's not dead. She opens the text he sent.

He's outside.

She carefully moves past Caroline and Bonnie and opens the front door. There's Elijah, hole in his shirt and all. There's dried blood but he doesn't seem to care. She carefully shuts the door behind her. She wants to run, she has feelings she won't admit.

"I had no idea Damon was planning to try to do that." The truth spills out of her mouth.

"Elijah, you have to know that. I didn't-I wouldn't do that to you." She continues, and he's watching her with a neutral expression.

"I'm sorry, Damon's an idiot and how are you alive?"

"It takes a lot more than that to kill me." He tells her. She's about to cry, he can tell. Her feelings run more deeply than he had originally thought. Good. They might be close to his. She moves closer to him, and he embraces her.

"I know you didn't know." He assures her.

"How?" She asks through sniffles.

"One, your heartbeat jumps when you're lying, two, it is not unlike Damon to be an idiot, and three we have a mutual trust I know you value." He tells her, and her arms are around his torso. She's warm, and it's a little cold out there for her. He wants her to move inside, it wouldn't do to have her be sick.

"What are we going to do now?" She asks. He notices her slight tremble due to the temperature.

"You could invite me in." He suggests.

"Careful. Bonnie and Caroline are sleeping." She warns, and lets go. He misses the contact immediately, he wonders if she notices the slight differences in colors. When they are touching they are as vibrant as possible, the farther away they were, they got slightly paler. When he was staked, he can't imagine losing the color the way she nearly did.

When it's all over and Klaus is dead, he plans to ask her to think about becoming a vampire in a few years.

She walks to the front door.

"Please come in, Elijah." She murmurs.


	6. Sofa humor

AN: I changed it up for once.

"Thank you." He says politely, and she lets him in. She carefully closes the door as quietly as possible. The movie they watched earlier has looped itself, the sound partially covering her and Elijah. He's silent as she leads him upstairs, and even when she's about to show him her room. Silent. He takes it in.

It's a more basic room, there's furniture and things, but less of her books and sentimental things are 's a couch that he notices, nearby her bed. She sits on one end. He sits next to her, unsure what her comfort level is with him. She wonders what he's thinking, and slowly shifts closer. She's not being subtle. He gives his thoughts pause when she carefully leans her head against his shoulder.

"I'm going to yell at Damon and Ric so much when I get home." She sighs.

"You will need to tell them we renegotiated. I'm not in the habit of dismissive forgiveness, after all and it wouldn't do for them to see me as weak." He tells her.

"You're not." She mutters. She doesn't notice the raised eyebrow.

"You're not weak." She clarifies.

"Thank you." He says, unsure if it is a compliment or the truth to her.

She tries to put it into words, how the colors changed. If he had died, black and white would have been so cruel. He listens. She's fond of him. She likes his company. He wonders where he would be on her list of loved ones.

"Sorry they ruined a perfectly good suit." She apologizes and he laughs.

"I value my life over my suits, Elena." He's being funny, she realizes. She gives him a little laugh, it feels good to laugh. She hasn't had cause to laugh in a long time. She yawns, and her head is still against his shoulder, he's very aware of her. The colors of her room are vibrant.

He tells her she should get some rest. He'll see her when she gets back. She nods, trying to conceal a yawn. Then he's gone, and she wanders back downstairs, she's careful to cover her tracks. She turns off the lights upstairs, and locks the doors again. She sits next to Bonnie and falls asleep.


	7. Blue eyed voicemails

AN: Again, lovely readers, if you didn't read Cor Meum- I will not be updating for the next five days, but I will be writing.

She wakes up with a sore neck and a few missed phone calls. Both are from Damon.

She listens to a voice mail as Caroline yawns.

There's a knock on the door as she listens to it. It's from this morning, that has him asking if she's missing. She hadn't told him she was leaving town. She had seen no need to. She opens the door. Damon's there, all ice blue eyes and in black. She's glad she's not dating either Salvatore-them trying to control her life is getting old. She doesn't bother listening to the other voice mail.

"Invite me in." He demands.

"No." She says, crossing her arms.

"What happened last night?" He demands to know.

"I had to renegotiate because of you and Ric being stupid!" She tells him angrily.

"How'd you do that?" He can smell Elijah in the air, but Bonnie and Caroline mask the rest of it.

"It's none of your business. You're just lucky you're still on my list of loved ones." She warns before she tries to shut the door.

"Go home Damon." She tells him, and shuts the door. She locks it before she realizes Caroline and Bonnie heard what she said. She swears internally.


	8. Promises

AN: Again, I will not be updating for five days!

Elena texts Elijah, asking if she can tell Bonnie and Caroline their secret. She wants someone to tell, and she needs her friends on her side. He replies that she can tell them if they can keep it secret.

She takes a deep breath.

"If I tell you this, you guys can't tell anyone." She says, her voice serious.

"What is it?" Caroline asks.

"Promise you won't tell anyone. We can't talk about this again until Klaus is dead." She says.

Bonnie promises first, then Caroline.

"What is it?" Bonnie presses.

"Elijah is my soulmate." She says and Caroline gasps and Bonnie doesn't look as surprised.

"So is that why you were-"

"Elijah was daggered. I almost lost the colors." She says, and they understand.

"Who?" Bonnie asks.

"Damon and Ric." Elena says, and Bonnie rolls her eyes.

"Of course they would. It won't leave this room." Bonnie promises. Elena feels a weight off her chest.


	9. Gray Sleepover

AN: You guys should be impressed because I have like thirty minutes left and I'm writing this instead of packing.

She tells Elijah that she's told Caroline and Bonnie. They won't tell. He asks if he can see her that night. She replies that they're heading back to Mystic Falls after lunch, she'll be home, sure.

The rest of the day is still sleepovers, but Caroline asks her which colors are which. They're all shades of gray to her. Elena tells her, and Bonnie looks interested. They watch three more movies and eat sandwiches before they pack up and go home. Caroline confesses that someday, she wants to get away from all of the drama. Elena couldn't agree more. She gets dropped off at home, Jenna opens the door.

"How was it?" Her aunt asks and Elena hugs her.

"It was good. I missed you guys, though."

"We missed you too." Jenna tells her, and lets go.

"How do you feel about pizza for dinner?" Jenna asks. Elena grins.

"Pizza sounds great." She says.


	10. Colorful beginning

AN: last update for five days

After dinner, she goes to her room- and sees Elijah on her window seat.

"Elena." He greets.

"Elijah." She returns.

"I think it's time I told you about Klaus." He says, and he notes her look of surprise.

"Okay." She says, hesitantly.

"Get ready for a very long story." He tells her, and she sits next to him, glad her curtains are closed.

He starts at the beginning.


	11. Red Eyes

an: I am so sorry I am a day late, something came up and I couldn't update until now I feel awful about it, sorry guys! Also let's pretend the ocean thing was a thing already and what do you all think of Stefan/Rebekah being used in here? I mean, Klaus staking Rebekah and compelling Stefan to forget would make him think that he's never met his soulmate before so. Let me know what you guys think! Long chapter for you guys and I'm sorry I always seem to end chapters like this but it was cute so.

"I know you told me that your family is at the bottom of the ocean, but why would Klaus do that? It would make more sense to keep them close. Since he's reclusive it would make it harder for you to find them. The ocean is a large place and that could be a possibility but-" Elena trails off. Elijah looks thoughtful.

"I have thought that as well. If he thought I assumed he had told the truth, I would have little to no reason to go after him." Elijah says.

"Other than revenge." Elena adds. She's moved a few inches closer as he's told her centuries of history about his family. He lets her set the physical boundaries, he doesn't want to make her uncomfortable.

He nods. She moves closer and leans her head against his shoulder again.

"This is a lot to take in." She informs him, he's not surprised.

"Do you want me to leave so you can think?" He asks, and she doesn't move her head, just tells him a soft, no.

"I like your company." She says, yawning. She closes her eyes. He wonders the depth of her feelings for him, not for the first time.

She trusts him with her life, he knows, but he wonders if she's purposefully trying to be endearing or if it's just her nature. He looks at her, her breathing is slowing-sleep is not too far away. He's about to suggest she move to her bed, and he'll see her tomorrow when they hear a loud noise. She jolts into being awake, and moves her head from his shoulder to look at him.

"It's just your aunt. She dropped her phone, by the sound of it."

He informs her. She nods, and she avoids looking at his lips. her head is back on his shoulder. He wonders why she won't look at him. Her thought is if she doesn't look at his lips, she won't thinking about kissing him.

"Is being a vampire better than being a human?" She asks.

"There are advantages and disadvantages to both, lovely Elena." He reminds her. He's sure she's seen that in her interactions with vampires. Her next question catches him off guard.

"Which one do you like better? Being a human or being a vampire?"

He has to ponder it for a moment.

"I would have to say, being a vampire." He's honest, and he can tell she wants an explanation, she usually did.

"I have spent centuries as a vampire. I cannot imagine wanting to be human again, though I know Rebekah wanted that for a long time."

She takes a moment to digest that, and she decides she wants to look at his hands. She's been carefully pushing at his physical boundaries but he seems content to let her do anything she wants. His left hand has his daylight ring. It's by his knuckle, and she moves it down with her fingers. They're strong hands, and she realizes she's still touching his hand when she hears him exhale.

She keeps her fingers on top of his, and traces patterns on them. She traces his name on the back of his hand when she asks if he thinks his siblings would like her.

"I know Finn and Kol would, I'm unsure about Rebekah." He admits.

She doesn't ask about Klaus, and he doesn't mention him. She resists looking at his lips, she won't kiss him until she knows how he feels about her. Part of her thinks that kissing him would tell her if he likes her too, but just because he lets her touch his hand doesn't mean he'll kiss her back. She always initiates physical contact. She stops making patterns, lost in thought. Her hand is still on his.

After a few minutes, he asks what she's thinking.

"That my diary and I have some catching up to do soon. I've been neglecting it." She admits. He nods.

She knows he's kept journals throughout the centuries, he's told her his basic history. He added in a few details, anything she wanted more on she could ask about-he made sure she knew that. She just keeps her head against his shoulder. She wants to pretend that they're normal for a moment. She wants to pretend for a moment that she's the only person who's ever had her face, and that they're both human, and that her biggest worry is college. She wishes she could be like Jenna, who lived a normal life, being blissfully ignorant about vampires. But Jenna could die tomorrow by inviting a vampire into their home. It'd be her fault, she knows. The thought is startling. Jenna could invite Klaus into their home.

"I need to tell Jenna." She decides.

"About what?" He asks.

"All of it. Vampires, and werewolves and just all of it." She says.

"Do you want me there?" He asks. Her hand is under his, on his thigh now, his fingers are carefully tracing shapes like hers had been. She moves her head away from his shoulder.

"No. I think I need to have Bonnie and Caroline, Alaric and the Salvatores over and tell her. Familiar faces will help. And I don't want her to know that we're-I told Bonnie and Caroline but I don't know how she'll react." She tells him and he nods.

They're silent for a few moments, and he can hear Her heartbeat speed up. He wonders what she's thinking about. He's not going to push at it, she can have private thoughts, but she moves her head away from his shoulder once more and looks at him. She's nervous, he realizes, as he's still tracing shapes on the back of her hand. She takes a deep breath.

"Can I see you-" She takes a deep breath.

"Can I see your vampire face?" She doesn't know the correct term for it, and he closes his eyes for a moment and she's worried she's annoyed him. Then his eyes open, and she can see his fangs, the veins under his red eyes.

He's expecting horror or disgust, or fascination, but she just stares like she's trying to remember something.

He parts his lips, and her eyes move there for a few seconds-and he closes his eyes when her free hand carefully touches his face. She's gentle, even gentler than he expected. He closes his mouth, and she doesn't complain. Her fingers brush under his eyes and the veins disappear.

"How long has it been since anyone else has seen that?" She asks. He answers,

"A very long time." Her hand is still on his face, moving down to his jaw. He wants to kiss her. Not the time.

"Thank you for showing me." She murmurs. Her fingers ghost over his chin and then the hand is back in her lap.

"You're welcome, lovely Elena." He replies. He wonders if he kissed her if she'd kiss him back. He doesn't, she sets the pace, he reminds himself.


	12. Farewells and Plans

an: let's pretend the dinner party happened on a Friday.

She organizes her friends to meet at her house tomorrow afternoon, and it's not that late, so she leaves for a moment, assuring him that she'd be right back. She needs to get Jenna to stay home tomorrow afternoon, she says she has something she needs to tell her. He listens to her conversation, Jenna seems confused, but agrees. Elena returns to her room after she tells Jeremy her plan. Her brother agrees to it. She returns, and yawns.

He tells her that she should sleep, he'll see her whenever she wants him over. She nods, and he's gone after a sleepy blink.


	13. Anxiety Balloon

The next day, she gets up, filled with dread. Telling Jenna isn't going to be easy. She's not looking forward to it. She gets ready, feeling like a slowly filled anxiety balloon. Time passes, she plans the points that she wants to tell Jenna. Then the doorbell rings, and she takes a deep breath. She texts Elijah that it's about to begin, and she'll let him know how it goes.

She opens the door.


	14. Too Intense Blue

AN: Sorry for the short chapters, longer chapters coming soon!

They've all explained and shown, Jenna has cried, and wanted left alone, and at least she knows she shouldn't leave the house. They don't know where Klaus is.

Caroline and Bonnie hug Elena, it was rough on her too.

Ric looks regretful, but tells Elena that he'll see her tomorrow. History class. It's so far from her thoughts that she's almost startled at the reminder.

Stefan and Damon leave first, Damon's eyes are staring at her too intensely for her liking. Then Ric reminds the girls about homework, and if Elena needed help, he was there for nods, and then Caroline and Bonnie leave. She goes to see Jenna.

She's in her bedroom, the door isn't locked. Elena enters hesitantly. Jenna is crying, and motions for her to sit down. They're long overdue for a talk.


	15. Jenna and the color spectrum

an: let's just pretend Klaus can be staked, alright? Just like the rest of his siblings. Also please review I have no idea if any of you like this or not without them!

"It's just hard, you know? She spent so much time denying it that it's just-it's a lot." She tells him, pressed into his side. Her head is on his shoulder. He understands. Klaus will be coming any day now, Elijah has the required things for the curse to break. Elena wants to cry. She's too tired to.

"I'm sorry, Elena." He says.

"What's he likely to do?" She asks. They need to talk about it, Katherine is still rotting in the tomb, John keeps trying to talk to Elena. She won't let him in the house. It's all starting to build up.

"He's likely to take over someone's body. He's always liked to make an entrance." He says thoughtfully. It's a scare tactic, one Elijah has seen a few times. Elena stiffens against him.

"It won't be you, will it?" She asks. She moves her head to look at him. The idea of him being controlled by someone who wants to kill her is absolutely terrifying.

"No. It's likely to be someone close to you, however it will not be one of us. Most likely it will be one of your teachers, a neighbor or John." He doesn't refer to him as her father because John isn't-not in Elena's eyes.

She takes a deep breath. She's messing with his daylight ring, moving it up and down his finger. She doesn't seem to be aware that she's doing it.

"Okay. I'll tell the others tomorrow." She says, her head is against his shoulder again. He likes it. She's glad he's on her side.

"I keep feeling a weird mixture of things- like I want to just get this over with and I keep feeling scared. I don't want to die, Elijah." He's about to reply when they hear a knock on her door. She blinks and he's gone. She goes to open the door.

"Elena, there's something I need to tell you and Jeremy." Jenna says. Her tone is serious. Elena walks over to the doorway and watches her knock on Jeremy's door. He opens it, and looks at Jenna expectantly.

"Alaric is my soulmate. I can see in color." Jenna confesses.


	16. Comfortable Silence

"Alaric is her soulmate." Elena tells him half an hour later.

He looks faintly surprised.

"We have a few days until the full moon, don't we?" She asks. He nods in affirmation.

"I just have to make it through the next few weeks, and then it'll be summer and it'll all be okay." She says, more to herself than anything.

"I suggest another meeting, preferably here, to talk about the plan. We need to leave out Alaric. My brother would not likely want to be in a young vampire's body like Stefan and Damon. Out of your loved ones, he's the most likely target. He's close to your aunt, and he's your teacher. About as close as he can get in a human." Elijah says. Elena nods. She mentions this in her group text, and sends it. She wants to say something, Elijah can tell, but they just sit in comfortable silence until she says she should get ready for bed. School tomorrow and all of that. He agrees, and tells her that he will see her at the meeting tomorrow. Her unspoken words die on her lips.


	17. Meetings

an: sorry if you guys see this as slow, I wrote these nine chapters in my Google Docs app. Also I wrote out the decade dance. It won't appear in this story.

Caroline picks Bonnie and the Gilberts up for school, and they thank her, a little absently.

School is a form of torture, Elena is sure. She barely concentrates, classes fly by. Caroline drives to the Gilbert home, her car filled with the same people as that morning and asks how they're doing. Jeremy responds that he's fine, and Elena just says she's tired. Bonnie yawns. Jenna is already home, and Elena notes Elijah's car is already there. The Salvatores arrive a few minutes later. Jenna has moved chairs to be placed around the living room to make room for everyone. Jeremy, Jenna and Bonnie claim the couch. Elena awkwardly clears her throat, and brings up the sacrifice. She talks of what Klaus is likely to do, they know thanks to Elijah.

Klaus will likely take Katherine from the tomb and a werewolf is needed. Caroline volunteers to make sure Tyler stays safe.

"So, if we figure out if Klaus is here tomorrow-we need a few plans." Elena says.

"I have one." Jeremy offers.

"Let's hear it." Elena replies, curious.

"Jenna would have something wrong with her vision if Klaus takes over Alaric's body. We can count on that and not go to school, stay here. We hole up until the sacrifice has to happen, Elijah and Elena go kill Klaus." The younger Gilbert announces triumphantly.

"There's a few flaws with that. Klaus would expect to see us. He'd want to be incognito and observe." Bonnie points out.

"So what's to stop him from taking Elena at school?" Jenna asks.

"Buddy system." Caroline suggests. Stefan opens his mouth.

"He wouldn't want to make a scene. If we stick together he has to make one to take her then." Stefan notes.

"Why can't we just take Elena away? Or just delay the sacrifice?" Damon interrupts whatever Stefan is about to add.

"Because Klaus will paint the town red to get to her. The sacrifice has to happen here. It's part of the curse." Elijah informs him.

"So, revised plan. We trust Jenna to tell us if the colors change, then we're on alert and do a buddy system thing, and towards the end of the day we leave early. Damon, you can compel the secretary. Vervain is out of the water supply. We do the same the next day, and then the sacrifice happens. Klaus is daggered and we don't have school because of conferences, right Jenna?" Elena asks.

"Yeah." Jenna confirms.

"Why are you so sure you're going to make it out of the sacrifice alive, Elena?" Damon asks, blue eyes boring into hers.

"I have an elixir made for that purpose. However, if she consumes vampire blood the elixir ceases to work, and if she dies, she will return a vampire. Since we are all aware of Elena's wishes to stay human, this is the safest route."

"Wait so there's a likely possibility she might not die, elixir or not?" Bonnie asks. Elijah nods.

"Klaus will be in his own body for the sacrifice. He needs to drink every last drop of Elena's blood. He will be the most vulnerable then, his senses will narrow to that and that alone. I will dagger him, and Elena lives. In the event I am delayed, which is unlikely, he will drain her and I will dagger him then." Elijah informs them.

"What do we do if he doesn't pick Alaric?" Bonnie asks.

"Then we need to find out whose body he stole." Jeremy replies.

"Also, he will know whatever Katerina knows. He will compel her to tell him information. Anything he deems relevant or useful. Keep that in mind." The Original adds casually.

"Is he going to kill her?" Damon asks. Elijah gives a short laugh.

"Oh no, her death will not be anytime soon. He'll want to draw it out."

"So why can't we dagger him when he gets his own body?" Caroline asks. Elijah looks at her appraisingly.

"He would have witches with him. He needs them for the sacrifice, they'll be with him until it's over. Too risky." Elena shakes her head.

"Why are you so determined to be a martyr, Elena?" Damon demands to know.

"By daggering Klaus, we're all safe. Mystic Falls is safe. I'm not letting anyone die for me. This plan is safe. Elijah is a man of his word, we can trust him. I trust him." Elena retorts. Damon scoffs.

"Okay, so why don't we just kill Klaus?" Caroline asks.

"If you kill an Original, their entire bloodline dies. Katerina was turned by someone of Klaus's bloodline. Killing Klaus would kill all of the vampires here." Elijah says simply. Bonnie looks like she's considering it for a moment, but then glances at Caroline. She won't let one of her best friends die. It's not an option.

"Okay, so if he's here tomorrow, we all meet here after school?" Stefan asks.

"Yeah." Elena confirms.

"I bet I could convince Tyler to stay with Matt for the next few days, so they'll be safe while at Matt's house. At least at night." Caroline offers.

"Good idea." Bonnie compliments.

"Jenna, I hope you don't mind, but I would like to accompany you to work tomorrow. Klaus will go after Elena's loved ones and you're the only one left unprotected." Elijah suggests.

Jenna nods awkwardly. She still can't believe he's centuries old. It's a little unreal.

"Okay. I have your number, I'll let you know before I leave." She tells the Original.

"Excellent." Elijah says, and Damon wants to wipe the grin off his face.

"I can't believe we have to go to school tomorrow." Caroline groans. She notices the faces looking at her.

"What? One of the oldest vampires ever is trying to break some curse which involves killing Elena and we're actually making plans right now for this and I still have to turn in my homework tomorrow to someone who might not even be Alaric?"

"Life is crazy, Care. We know that, we've always known that." Bonnie says. No one speaks for a moment.

"So we all know what we're doing tomorrow?" Elena asks. She looks around the room for nodding heads.

"Alright." She exhales.

"Meeting over." Elena announces and Damon and Stefan leave after seeing Elijah isn't going to leave first. Caroline and Bonnie both hug Elena, and leave. She watches them go from the porch, Elijah is talking to Jenna about the next day in the kitchen.


	18. Dimmed Tears

AN: After twenty one or twenty two, I'm stopping this fic for a few days, and working on a few other fics

He's by, later that night.

"It's going to be okay, right?" She asks. He's honest and she needs that. Elijah nods.

"Worst case scenario?" She inquires, opening her history textbook. He wonders how much has been left out.

"Worst case scenario, the elixir revives you." He assures her. He won't let anything happen to her. She scoots over, and motions for him to sit next to her.

He takes off his shoes before she can blink. He leaves space, and she takes it. She wants to ask him to stay the night, but she can't. She can't cry in front of him. Not yet.

"Okay." She takes a shaky breath. She can deal with that. He carefully moves his hand closer to hers. She slips her hand into his. She finishes her homework, and sets it down. They don't talk until he leaves.

"Keep Jenna safe tomorrow. I'll see you in the afternoon." She hugs him, it's not the first time, but it's a tight hug. It would hurt if he was human.

"I will." He promises. She takes a shuddering breath.

"Goodbye for now, Elena." He says, and he's gone. She waits until everyone is asleep to let her tears come out.


	19. ROYGBIV Realizations

Elijah texts her when he's with Jenna, and confirms Klaus is in Alaric's body. Elena texts everyone. Damon says he'll compel the secretary to let them go after lunch. He's told Sheriff Forbes and Jenna the plan, and Elena is thankful for unlimited texting. Stefan enters the class first, and then Caroline, Elena and Bonnie. Caroline hides a gasp as she glances at Alaric.


	20. Threats in Black and White

They arrange it perfectly, Bonnie drove everyone but Stefan to school. She'll take them back to the Gilbert house. Damon compels the secretary, they're all waiting on Caroline. She hasn't told, she'll tell Elijah and Elena when she can. Alone.

Bonnie asks if she'll be out soon. She texts back, she just needs two minutes and she'll be out. She takes a deep breath and opens the door. It's bizarre, someone else is moving Alaric's eyes, his lips-her soulmate. He doesn't have a class until lunch is over. He's eating a lunch Alaric probably packed the night before. It's so disturbing that she wants to run, but she stands her ground.

"Hey uh-" He pretends to fumble for her name.

"Let's cut the crap. My name is Caroline Forbes and you are Klaus." She says bluntly, and it's so bizarre to have Alaric give her a look like that.

"What do you want, soulmate of mine?" He wonders, leaning forward. She resists the urge to cringe.

"Elena is one of my best friends. If you continue with your plan to kill her, I will never speak to you again. I will never forgive you, whatever we could have would die with her. If she dies, I'll go to her funeral, and then disappear. I'll be so far away that you'll see in almost black and white again. If I lose Elena, you lose me. If you don't-I'll give you a chance. Your move." Caroline threatens, opens the door and walks out. She's by Bonnie's car in a flash. She gets in, and shuts the door. Bonnie reverses out of the parking lot and Caroline wants to cry. She doesn't.


	21. Safety in Vision Variants

AN: song of this chapter is Warriors, after the next chapter I'll be working on other fics on this account. This story will be on hiatus for a few days.

"That was so creepy." Bonnie informs Damon as Elena hands out tea. Caroline and Bonnie accept cups. Damon notices Caroline's silence.

"What's wrong, Blondie? Usually you're chatty." He points out, and she glares.

"Fuck off, Damon." The words are as sharp as the kitchen knives a few yards away.

"Woah. We all need to be calm and work together." Stefan says. Caroline pulls out her phone to text Elena. She'll check her phone eventually. She has to tell her before they face Klaus again, in class. She sends the text as Jeremy flips through channels until everyone agrees on a movie-there's a marathon going on. Elena texts Elijah, asking how he and Jenna were doing. She sends it and notices Caroline's text. She texts him again, telling him that there's something Caroline needs to tell just the two of them. He texts back a minute later, he and Jenna are fine, and if Caroline hangs back after everyone leaves, they can discuss whatever it is.

She texts Caroline that, and then texts Elijah back-thanking him. He says he'll see her soon, and that it's not a problem. She attempts to pay attention to the movie, despite the snarky comments and conversations happening along with it.

When the sequel is about ten minutes in, the door opens, and Elijah and Jenna enter the house. Elena rises to hug her aunt.

"I'm happy you're okay." She whispers into Jenna's hair, and Jenna hugs her back.

"Elena, I'm always going to be here for you and Jeremy. Don't worry." Jenna promises. Elena avoids looking at Elijah's eyes, but aims for his eyebrows as she thanks him. If she looks into them, it'll all be ruined, and Caroline confirms that Klaus is in Alaric's body.

They talk, as a group for a few minutes, and they plan to move forward with the next day. Sacrifice day. Elena pretends the lump in her throat is nonexistent. Caroline announces she'll be the driver the next day, since Bonnie already had. The Salvatores leave, Damon looks like he has something to say but Stefan just ushers him out. Bonnie asks Caroline if she needs a ride home and the vampire shakes her head. Jenna's moved upstairs to change, and Jeremy's on the stairs, earbuds in when Elijah gestures for ten minutes. He walks out as well, and Elena and Caroline watch him leave Elena's driveway, and then street. He's gone. For then.


	22. Technicolor Realizations

AN: Song for this chapter: Can't help falling in love with you (the twenty one pilots cover) just a reminder this is the last chapter of this story for a few days-I will be uploading new fics though.

Caroline walks upstairs with Elena, and Elena doesn't ask what she wants to talk about, just sighs and moves something on her window. Caroline sighs with her, and they lay next to each other on Elena's bed.

"This is crazy." The Gilbert exhales.

"No doubt." The Forbes agrees.

"Love you, Care." Elena says, the words come out naturally.

"Love you too, 'Lena." Caroline doesn't even have to think, the words are automatic and genuine. They lay there for a few minutes. Caroline wants to ask about what Elijah is like with her friend, he seems so noble and inhuman. If Caroline was human, she would have had a heart attack seeing Elijah casually appear on Elena's window seat, closing the curtains.

He looks thoughtful for a moment.

"Jenna is doing laundry and Jeremy is listening to music. No one will hear us. What do you need to tell us, Caroline?" He inquires, not unkindly.

"I can see in color." She blurts. She swears internally-Elena is hugging her.

"That's great, Care! Who is it?" Caroline had wanted to find her soulmate since they were kids, she was enamored with True Love and happy endings-Elena is happy until she realizes Caroline isn't.

"Care?" The word is quiet.

"Klaus is my soulmate." She confesses, moving her head into Elena's neck. Elijah shoots his soulmate a glance, and they both can tell there's more to the story. Caroline's tearing up, and she moves away from Elena after a minute.

"I ruined everything." She admits tearfully.

"How?" Elena asks. Caroline tells them what she did, her exact words and Elijah tries to weigh the probabilities and chances. Niklaus had a very long, bloody and tragic life. They had always wanted their soulmates, Rebekah was the most keen. Her brothers grew into it.

"What do you think he'll do?" Caroline asks.

He wants to welcome Caroline into his family, she's under his protection like Elena is. Like Rebekah, Finn and Kol were. Even if she's not interested in his brother, she's family.

"Caroline," He begins, about to hand her his handkerchief when Elena hands her a box of tissues.

"Niklaus would have known anyway. You might have stopped him from killing Elena, but it is not your fault if he tries to continue with breaking his curse. You gave him something to think about, and for now, I shall consider it a victory. While Niklaus is rash, he is meticulous with planning. You've given him reason to pause. That is a rare thing. I appreciate your willing to help us, despite your newly discovered status with my brother, and I apologize for the loss and pain you will experience if he goes on as planned. I am here for you if you need me. I know you do not want to think of him, but as my brother's soulmate, that makes you family. I will protect you. I am glad you kept this with Elena and I." He says, gently.

"Niklaus?" Caroline stumbles on the word.

"His birth name. He always shortened it." Elijah tells her and she nods, sniffling.

"Can you escort me home, if it's not a bother?" She asks him. Elena wants to hug her, but refrains. Elijah nods.

"Of course. I will return after Caroline is safely at home, you have my word, Elena." He tells her, and she gives him a small smile. He and Caroline are gone in a flash.

Elena has time to think. From what she knows of Klaus, from what Elijah has told her, and he's told her a _lot_ -she closes her eyes and tries to imagine what she would do if she were him, in his likely overly expensive shoes.

She'd want the almost guaranteed love and trust of a soulmate-the one person who is supposed to love you above all-but denying and having part of one's identity hidden for so long must be hard as well. She's debating the pros and cons, and tries to figure out what she would do for so long that she almost misses the quiet,

"Elena?" Her heartbeat sounds like she's awake, but he doesn't want to disrupt her if she's close to sleep. Her eyes open.

"Elijah." She acknowledges, and he adjusts her window.

"Caroline is safe. I recommend that she be protected from now on, like you. I would not put it past Niklaus to just take her. My little brother never did have very much tact." He sighs. There's so much to discuss.

"We can guess all we want, but we won't know what he'll do until tomorrow, right?" She asks. He nods. She takes a deep breath, she's been doing a lot of that lately.

"Can I ask you a favor?" She asks, her heart going to fast.

"Of course." He answers, curious. They have a few feet between them still.

"Can you-stay with me tonight? I'm just worried and I'd feel better with you here, but if it's problem it's fine I just-" She stops when he opens his mouth.

"I shall stay with you tonight." He promises. There's an odd safety to it-he's not a fool, he knows Niklaus can enter his apartment if he finds it. He cannot enter the Gilbert house however. Other supernatural creatures, yes-but he's a light sleeper, when he sleeps. Elena is safest next to him. She gives a small smile, and lets out a breath of relief.

"I have homework to do, but if you want to stay, I'd like that." She says, she's not trying to make him do anything he doesn't want to, and she knows she can't control him-nor would she want to.

"Can I borrow one of your books?" He inquires, looking at her bookshelf. She nods.

"Sure." She says, and pulls papers out of her bag. She takes off her converse and sits on her bed.

"You can join me if you want." It's giving him a choice, she tells herself-he seems to wait for her approval before getting close to her, and she wants to give him options. He's next to her, with something she had to read last year for required reading. They sit, she eventually leans against him when she's sighed too much at her math homework that still gets dutifully done nonetheless-it's English homework when he's halfway through the book. Her history homework is fill in the blanks and she asks him the answers. He looks amused, but tells her the dates to the events she asks about. She thanks him.

She and Damon used to give Stefan grief when he had to look up what year things happened when they did their homework together. Elena had told him that since he was alive during the time, he should remember. Stefan had countered repeatedly that she should just ask Damon. To which the older Salvatore would reply-he was too drunk to remember such trivial things as numbers. It repeated, it happened over and over and over-things have changed from those times.

She places her finished homework in her bag, and tells him she'll be right back-she's off to tell Jenna and Jeremy goodnight. Her aunt holds her tightly, and tells her she's so proud, Elena is brave. Elena blinks back tears, she wants Jenna to think she's as brave as her aunt believes. Jeremy just tells her goodnight too-there are things pressing on his mind, judging by the amount of drawings she sees.

She'll shower in the morning, otherwise she's sure Caroline and the Salvatores would smell Elijah on her. She sees him return the book to its proper place as she returns to her room.

"I'm going to get ready for bed if you need to go do anything." She tells him, and he tells her he'll be back in ten minutes. She nods. She wonders where Elijah stays. She changes, brushes her teeth and sets alarms, goes through her routine. Her light is dimmed when Elijah returns, and she looks at him with an expression he's rarely seen. She's alarmed. She's not afraid of him, she's still walking towards him, she opens her mouth to say something and closes it.

"You're not wearing a suit." She says finally, in an attempt of explanation. He laughs, and she looks mystified.

"I don't sleep in my suits, Elena." He says, his tone is lighthearted.

"I almost thought you didn't need sleep when I met you." She says when she's only a few feet away. She knows how long he can go without it.

He still looks amused. She's comfortable with him, and she knows

Elena yawns, and moves to her bed, pulling back the covers and plugging her phone in for the night. He carefully sticks to what she mentally refers to as his side, it's where he always sits-and her breathing begins to slow.

"Goodnight, Elijah." She whispers, and he can see her smile as she drifts off to sleep. He lays there for a few minutes before she moves closer, and he feels something and she throws her arm over his stomach. It's a strange feeling, warmth-his eyes widen.

He's in love with her, he realizes. He had expected it, soulmates rarely stayed platonic-but he feels like he'll fall deeper and deeper with time. He thinks, as his eyes begin to close, that it sounds wonderful. His dreams are brighter than ever.

He wakes up first, it's a habit to wake up early. Elena's arm is still over his stomach. He looks at the time on his phone, it's close enough to when she probably gets up for school that he carefully wakes her. She blinks a few times before giving him a sleepy smile and yawning, she moves the arm to stretch and he almost misses it. He mentions that he should return home, he plans to accompany Jenna to work again, she nods. She'll see him in the afternoon, like the day before. He gets out of bed, giving her one last look at the pajamas that could almost pass as a suit sans jacket if she squinted. He leaves, and she stays in bed for a few more minutes, the other pillow smells like him. She moves her head to it, taking strength from it before she rolls out of bed and heads to take a shower. If he can be strong, so can she, she tells herself. They're a team, allies and soulmates and she reminds herself that she doesn't have to face the world-or Klaus-alone.


	23. Black and White

AN: I'm sorry Colors has been taking the backseat to most of my newer projects, I've been working on plotting and characterization with this one.

He doesn't like change. He doesn't like unexpected change, and he doesn't like surprises. Especially unpleasant ones. He catches himself, the baby vampire who is his soulmate, is lovely to look at.

Not entirely unpleasant. He doesn't mention his internal debate to his witches, not even when he's in his own body. Katerina will suffer, however. That is an absolute.

His thoughts keep bringing him back to Caroline. He should be thinking about the full moon, and feel anticipation, but the idea that the blonde spitfire in front of him the day before is his soulmate is a feast for thought. She _could_ be the one to love and accept him, give him things that he's never admitted to wanting to anyone. Domesticity. A queen at his side. They could be unstoppable, in whatever they wanted. He'd have someone to share eternity with, never wondering if they were right for each other. He'd _know._ And so would she.

But she has not been with him to know him well enough to know how much this means, he reminds himself that he was the only one always there for himself for hundreds of years. If he wasn't, who else would have been? His siblings, their love is conditional. He can't take that risk with Caroline, regardless of their status. He makes up his mind. He'll be a hybrid in less than twelve hours. He can't wait.


	24. Tension in the spectrum

That morning, Bonnie picks everyone up, except the Salvatores. Jenna tells Elena that Klaus is out Alaric's body, she can see in color now. Elena spreads this knowledge. Elijah texts her when he goes to work with Jenna. Even though she knows Alaric isn't Klaus, it's still hard to look at him.

School passes like a long, anxious sigh. They all leave after lunch again, thanks to Damon. The Gilbert house is too quiet when they're all in it. Jeremy turns on the tv for noise. Elena wants to thank him, but doesn't. She can't explain the need for noise. She sits at the kitchen table to do her homework. She needs to keep her mind occupied. So she does. Jeremy joins her after an episode of some show she doesn't bother looking at, everyone but Damon eventually joins her at the table.

He's getting bored of homework talk. He's getting bored. He disappears, and Stefan tells everyone he's just upstairs. Elena hears her phone beep. Elijah tells her he and Jenna will be home soon. Thank goodness. She goes to talk to Damon. They need everyone on board for this thing to work. She has faith in Elijah that she's tried to spread, but Damon doesn't have _any at all._

She finds him in her room, sitting on her bed.

"Damon, we have to all work together. This won't work if you aren't going to help keep everyone safe."

"Why do you have such blind faith in Elijah?" Damon demands to know.

"He gave me his word. He's stuck to it. He's kept me safe, he's keeping Jenna safe right now. I have to trust him. There isn't another way for this to play out. He will take care of Klaus, and no one will have to deal with him ever again."

"So what, Elijah's just going to leave Mystic Falls after this is all over with his brother's corpse and this is totally fine? How do we know he isn't working with Klaus?" Damon wants to know. She doesn't answer that, he doesn't give her time. He looks at her, and then she sees his vampire face. It's not like when she saw Elijah's face, he was careful not to scare her. His eyes are red and she can barely see the blue in them.

"There's another way this can happen." He says and she shouts as he bites his wrist.

"Damon, don't!"

Jenna doesn't understand when Elijah is out of her car and in her house in a flash. He doesn't have time to explain. Damon moves into something that's not as soft as Elena. Elijah.

"I do believe that Elena is declining your offer." He says, calmly. Elena has a hand on his back, a reminder. A reminder she is there, a reminder not to kill the insolent vampire, a reminder of what had almost just happened. Damon is unable to see it.

Damon scoffs. He tries to move, and Elijah outmaneuvers him. He compels him.

"You will never force your blood on anyone again. You will not force yourself on anyone unless they attack you first within reason." Then it's over, and Damon nods.

"Damon, what the hell?" They hear Caroline from the hall and there's a choking noise. She must have taken Damon, because he's not in Elena's room.

Elena moves to face her soulmate.

"Are you alright?" His voice is low, it barely holds any of the urgency he feels. She nods.

"I'm fine. Thank you for preventing him from-" She trails off. The idea makes him want to rip Damon's heart out. He had almost forced blood on the Original's soulmate. Bloodsharing was meant to be special. Not something pathetic. It's only because of Elena that he is alive. He needs to remind her of that. Her hand squeezes his briefly, a reassurance. Her breathing calms. He lets go, not because he wants to but because he owes Jenna an explanation and someone might suspect something if they're alone for too long and there are footsteps coming towards her room. Elena nods and moves away as the door opens.

"Elena?" Jenna asks. She wants an explanation for why Damon is being choked in her hallway by Caroline.

"Damon tried to feed me his blood. Elijah stopped him." She says, and Jenna hugs her fiercely.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Jenna says, looking over Elena's shoulder at Elijah. She mouths the words, "Thank you." He nods. He leaves the room, Elena is trying not to speak. _I could still die tonight_ almost escapes her lips. It doesn't.


	25. Waiting Colors

Everyone remembers the plan, they're all to stay home. No going out. Elena will send out a mass text when it's all over. They all leave, and Elijah has to as well. Elena can't say a proper goodbye, she wants to hug him and remind him to be safe, but he seems to sense that.

"I will return before it is dark." The promise is a whisper. He needs to seek out Klaus and assure him of his loyalty. Elena has to restrain herself because he's going out and he has to face his brother. A man who could kill them both. When Elijah leaves she finds company in her diary. She writes it all down. She doesn't have anyone else she can talk to about this.

* * *

Jenna is putting dinner in the oven and Jeremy is with Bonnie. It's just her and her aunt tonight. At least, until Elijah shows up to "take" her. Elena's hoping that it'll go fine and that it won't cause a mental breakdown later. At least she doesn't have school tomorrow.

* * *

Elijah answers his phone after the first ring.

"Brother." A familiar voice greets.

"Niklaus." He returns.

"Katerina is having fun over here. I've compelled her to stab herself over and over and over." His brother says and part of Elijah is pleased. The part that had paid for her betrayal and had searched for her for centuries.

"Excellent." He says.

"You do plan on bringing the doppelganger to me tonight, don't you? I've been told you have the moonstone."

"I do. I just need an address and a time." His brother grins, although he can't see that.

"Wonderful. I shall text it to you." The soon to be hybrid says. He knows Elijah must feel some level of hate for him, but he also knows how dangerous it is to cross him. He may have lied and said their family was unfindable, but he still has a stake left for his brother. He'll do it after the curse is broken. His brother is the key to having the doppelganger. He's sure he has leverage over her somehow, so he'll wait. Both for his doppelganger and his brother. They'll both be dead before the day is done. He almost can't wait.

* * *

But then, he's been waiting for centuries. A few hours won't kill him.


	26. The colors of fire

AN: I am sorry I just corrected this chapter, Rose is the vampire sacrificed, I wrote this at like 4am, I'm sorry for any confusion.

* * *

Jenna has an early dinner, it's a little tense and they both pretend to not notice it. Elena wonders how Jenna feels, but can't bring herself to ask. After dinner, she escapes to her room. Jenna is dreading the sound of the doorbell. Elena will be in a life and death situation. She has to put her faith in Elijah, she can't be there.

Elijah is sitting on her window seat, and she looks at him, and her lip quivers. He moves before he realizes it, and she's wrapped in a hug, and he's secure. He's strong and right now she wants to be weak, so he lets her.

"I could have almost turned into a vampire." She says, and the words hurt. She wonders what he thinks, and part of her notices that this is the first time he's touched her first, after their deal.

"I don't want to be a vampire. Not right now. A few years, maybe." She adds. It's odd, she had been so dead set on being human. But she can't picture leaving Elijah alone in black and white again, she's always tried to be kind and that seems too cruel. She _wants it_. Part of her anyway. There will be things like this so talk about, after tonight. Just not right now.

"I will respect your wishes, for whatever you choose." He murmurs and she nods.

"Thank you." It's not really an option she thought she had, but she appreciates him giving it to her.

She pulls back a little. His face is softer when he's with her, she notices. They're both vulnerable, and she needs to be strong soon, they have a fight to win, but she asks if Klaus would be able to tell if she kissed him on the cheek. He shakes his head, not trusting himself to speak. Her lips are soft against his skin and the thought that maybe she loves him too creeps into his mind. He can't bring himself to say it, not now. She can't either. She checks the time on her phone.

Five minutes. They have five minutes until he has to knock on her door and she has to play the role of the willing sacrifice. He breaks the embrace, and shows her the elixir. He carefully opens it, and hands it to her. She takes it, and drinks it all. It feels like how coffee gets her up some mornings, but she's not energetic. She can feel the magic in her body. It's a slightly uncomfortable feeling.

"Can I say goodbye to Jenna?" She asks quietly. Just in case. He nods. He places the bottle in her nightstand, and disappears. She takes a deep breath. She can be strong. She's gone through worse and was unprepared. This time she's ready.

"Jenna?" She asks, knocking on her aunt's door.

"Yeah?" Jenna asks, opening it.

"I have to go in a few." She says, she can't think of anything else to say, all of the words she wants to choose will come out wrong.

"I love you." She says and her aunt hugs her.

"Be careful. I love you too, okay?" There are tears in her eyes she won't let show, she has to be strong for Elena. At least until she's gone.

"I will." Elena promises, and then the doorbell rings. Elena lets go, and walks down the stairs to answer the door.

"Elijah." She says. Her face is a mask of indifference mixed with terror.

"It's time to go." He says and she nods. She walks out of the house and shuts the door.

"You have to pretend to be scared. You need to act like your back is against a wall and you do not like me." He reminds her, on her porch.

"Can you compel me to?" She asks. The words slip out. She's a kid playing an immortal's game, she's good enough to trick a teacher into letting her go home early. Not tricking centuries old vampires into believing her lies. He nods. The request is hard, almost every impulse of his tells him this is treason to Elena. But she asked. He does, his words are a quiet whisper and she cannot mention the compulsion. Her eyes, which held warmth are now just full of terror.

"I'm sorry." He apologizes, before he takes her arm. Vampire speed, she remembers as she blinks. They're in a forest. He takes her arm, harder than he's ever touched her and he hopes that she can forgive him. They need to fool his brother. The dagger is in his pocket, ready to go.

"Ah, brother. Right on time." Klaus says and Elena shakes. She tries to fight it, but Klaus is terrifying.

"Put her right here." He requests, and there's an x in the dirt where he's pointing. He walks Elena to the spot, and moves away. Fire appears, in a circle around her. He and his favorite human notice the other rings of fire. Jules, Elena recognizes, is the werewolf. She doesn't recognize the vampire, not at first. It's Rose. Klaus begins to explain to her, that he curse is fake. It's a curse placed on him, and her willing sacrifice will help him release his werewolf side. He'll be a hybrid. Jules hisses that he's crazy, and then her body convulses. A pretty girl, a witch appears, and Klaus looks pleased to see her. Elijah takes a breath he doesn't need. Time seems slow, and Elena doesn't look at him at all. He can almost taste her fear. It's a little unnerving. First Jules dies, then Rose. The flames die down as Klaus walks to Elena. He offers his hand, and she walks past him. She amazes Elijah, although he suspects his brother will make her pay for that. With pain. She walks to where the witch is standing, and his brother thanks her for her sacrifice. She tells him to go straight to hell.

He bites into her neck, hard. She gasps, and when Klaus closes his eyes, he waits, paying attention to Elena's heartbeat. When he knows his brother will be lost in the bloodlust, he moves quietly, and shoves the dagger through his back. He pushes Klaus, and Elena moves forward. Blood is coming out of her neck, and into her shirt. Her hand moves to her neck to stop the bleeding. He'll offer her blood in a few seconds, but he waits to see his brother's skin turn gray. He tosses a container of his blood at her, and she catches it with one hand, drinking it as he disposes of the people watching. The witches lose their hearts. It's all stopped. The flames fade, and he wants to reach Elena, but he has blood on his hands. He reaches for his handkerchief and removes what he can. She's still scared. His compulsion is still in place, and she looks at him with wide, afraid eyes.

"Elena." He murmurs. Her heartbeat jumps, and she won't meet his eyes for him to break the compulsion.

He puts a careful hand under her chin.

"I release you from all previous compulsion." He whispers, and he body almost drops with relief. He catches her, and holds her up. This was hard on both of them. A minute more and he would have lost Elena. He holds her for a few minutes, until she feels the elixir wear off. It's like caffeine wearing off. She's exhausted.

"We need to get Niklaus into a secure location." He reminds her. She nods, her head feels way too heavy. Elijah's blood is on her lips and in her throat, and she's alive. It's all okay. He carries his brother's body over his shoulder and asks her to hold on to him. So she does. She closes her eyes.


	27. Loss in Shades of Gray

They arrive at a cabin, it almost reminds her of the lake house. But it's surrounded by trees. No water as far as she can see.

* * *

She lets go of him and he asks her to knock on the door. She does, and it opens. An unfamiliar person looks at her.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice." Elijah says to the man, and Elena watches. He hands Elena a clipboard and pen. It has legal papers on it. It's already marked where she needs to sign.

"Mr. Hunt is one of my lawyers." Elijah tells Elena as she signs. The man laughs.

"I also dabble in magic. Once all of these papers are signed, you will be the only one who can invite people into this house. Vampire or not." Mr. Hunt tells Elena. She works on signing, giving them a nod to show she's listening. Once she's on the last page, Elijah's lawyer steps out of the house.

As she finishes the last signature, there's a spark of magic in the air.

"Enter the house please." Elijah requests and she does, expecting a barrier. Nothing.

"Please come in, Elijah." She says, and her soulmate thanks her and disappears with Klaus's body.

"Tell Elijah I'll see him in three weeks." Mr. Hunt says and she nods. He's gone when Elijah returns. It's a cute cabin, not very much room. Perfect for just a few people. Elena relays the message, and he nods and tells her Klaus is locked away in the basement. She send out the mass text. Klaus is dead, and she's returning home. She exits the cabin first, no one had bothered to turn on the lights. It's dark in and outside of it. She notices Elijah produce a key and lock the door.

"Take me home." She requests. So he does.

* * *

Jenna is thrilled to see her again, although she's a little worried by the amount of blood in her niece's clothes. She hugs her tighter than Elena thought was physically possible, and looks at Elijah. She hugs him too, and he looks at his soulmate over Jenna's shoulder.

"Help me." He mouths. She gives him a quiet laugh in response, Jenna doesn't hear it over her own voice, thanking him. He replies it was not a problem and that he's sure they'd like to sleep. It's rather late.

After checking a few dozen times that Elena is fine, Jenna lets her out of her sight to take a shower. Elena takes her pajamas with her, in case Elijah is waiting on her window seat again. She pretends not to notice the color of the water as she scrubs at the dried blood on her body.

* * *

When she's clean and she can't feel Klaus's hands on her or his fangs in her neck, she gets out and gets dressed. She brushes her teeth before she opens the door to her room. Elijah is sitting there, like she thought he would be. He's in a different suit. He's cleaned up, even his hands.

"Can you stay here tonight?" She asks.

"Of course."


	28. Sleepy, Vivid Colors

He's surprised when she reaches for her phone and dials, and while she waits she tells him that he can go do whatever he needs to do before bed, it's just checking up on someone.

"Hey. How are you doing?" His soulmate asks when the call is answered.

"I'm okay. Although my head is killing me, oh my gosh I'm so sorry Elena, how did that go?"

Caroline lost the colors as he daggered his brother, he remembers.

"Are you okay? I was in a lot of pain when Elijah was-" She trails off. He doesn't need to hear that.

"Yeah. It's not that bad, now. Vampire healing, I guess. Never mind me, what about you? Is Elijah with you? If he isn't, I can come over. " Caroline offers. Elijah is quietly impressed with the young vampire.

"Let me know if you need anything, okay? Elijah is over, just take it easy." She says and he motions that he's going to leave. She gives him a brief hug, and he's gone. It's okay. He's coming back.

"How'd it go? I mean did you, you know?" Caroline asks.

"No, Elijah daggered him and gave me some of his blood. No actual dying involved. We have him in a secure location. I'm just relieved all of this is over, Care. I mean, I know Elijah already wanted to dagger Klaus. But I don't want to come between him and his family. It's not good."

"Elijah's not there anymore, is he?" Caroline asks. Elena tells her he isn't.

"You weren't. Klaus needed to be stopped and he was going to kill you anyway. Don't beat yourself up over it, okay?" Caroline says and Elena nods, then realizes the vampire can't see it.

"Yeah. I'm sure Elijah will say something similar when he gets back." She says.

"Wait, back? Are you two having a sleepover?" Caroline's voice is suggestive.

"Yes, _not that kind, Caroline._ He's just going to sleep next to me. We're not going to do anything. Especially not _that._ " Elena informs her.

"Tell me tomorrow if he snores." Caroline requests. Elena rolls her eyes.

"He doesn't snore, Care." Slips out of her mouth. The blonde lets out a quiet shriek.

"He's slept over before? Elena, we are so talking about this later. Bonnie, ice cream and you're going to give details. I'd push but my mom is about to knock on my door. Text me!" Caroline says, and her goodbye is so brief Elena almost misses it. She hangs up and Elijah appears on her window seat. He's wearing those suit like pajamas again. She grins at him, she's going to tease him about that later. She adjusts the lights and tells him she'll be out in a moment. She just needs to brush her teeth.


	29. Painful Black and White

AN: Also I rewatched 2x12 and did anybody else wonder where Elijah was? Like I'm pretty sure Elijah knows Elena watching Rose would put human doppelgangers in the possible to become extinct category. What was he up to?

* * *

She comes out, and looks at him. His eyes are closed and she takes the opportunity to stare. He doesn't look quite as peaceful as when he's sleeping, but he's still gorgeous. His eyes open and hers widen in surprise.

"What were you thinking about?" She asks.

"The weather." He says honestly. She quirks an eyebrow, and he explains.

"It should have been raining by now."

"Huh. I didn't expect that from you." She admits, as she pulls back her comforter. He carefully sits next to her. She pulls them up.

"Paying attention to the weather?" He asks.

"Well, you always seem to be busy with important things. I didn't know the weather was on that list." She says and he laughs. He appreciates her humor.

"The weather is very important, Elena. I need to know when I need an umbrella." His voice is serious, but she can see that he isn't. She laughs and they pretend like they're fine. They talk about other things than the day they just had. He pauses their conversation to listen, and she's almost worried for a second and then she isn't.

"It's late." He says, and then she hears thunder rumble.

"Maybe you should be a supernatural weatherman. You do wear suits anyway." She jokes. He rolls his eyes. She falls asleep first, they'll need to talk about it all. Later. He wonders exactly when that will be, but Elena is sleeping peacefully. Thunder rumbles again and he thinks that she had the right idea.


	30. Bright morning

AN: You all deserve fluff, tbh.

* * *

Somehow, her dreams are completely void of anything. She doesn't dream of anything, and she wakes up with arms wrapped around her. It's okay. It is. She's alive, she didn't die and her soulmate is currently sleeping. She pulls back enough to see his face. He's so peaceful that she can't resist touching him. He wakes up to gentle fingers on his jaw. _Elena._

"Morning." She says and grins. This is a very pleasant way to wake up, his soulmate is grinning at him as the colors are bright as they can be.

"Morning." He echoes, moving his arms so she can move as she wants. She doesn't move far, and he knows they need to talk, but she's happy right now. He can't take that away.

"Any reason you felt the need to inspect my jaw?" He asks, his tone tells her that he's teasing.

"Just making sure you were alive. I'm not used to seeing you so peaceful." She teases back.

"I promise to fix that." He says, meaning it. He can't be this unguarded around her friends, but when it's just them, he has no problem being like this with her.

"Your aunt is making coffee. I suspect she'll want you to leave your room soon." He says, and she lets out a quiet groan.

"We can talk about everything later, right? Like tonight?" She asks. It's too lighthearted. She selfishly wants the moment to stay like that.

"Of course." He promises. They have a lot to talk about. Later, but later has a time now. He'll leave in a few minutes. Not right now.


	31. Happy Color Spectrum

AN:Something traumatic happened, I'm writing away the trauma with this. Also, siberia21, you never reviewed chapter seven. I just noticed that.

* * *

She makes him promise to not do anything. Like looking for his siblings or undaggering Klaus. Just, have a day off. They won this one.

Take it easy. He promises to, and gives her his word. Then he's off, and she walks downstairs for breakfast. Jenna stops making pancakes long enough to hug her. There's things unsaid, but she knows what Jenna wants to say. _I love you, thank God you survived, I made pancakes._ She doesn't say any of these things, and they eat pancakes in near silence.

* * *

"I think Jeremy is coming at lunch. Everyone else might come here too, just to see how you are. You know Jeremy, he's vague on details." Jenna says and Elena wants to laugh.

Everyone comes and goes during the day, the Salvatores look amazed that she's alive, wet hair and all, and she sticks close to Jenna during their visit. Damon wants to hug her, wants to apologize, but she gives him the cold shoulder and so does Jenna. His actions were inexcusable. Stefan drags him away. When Bonnie comes to return Jeremy to them, Bonnie hugs her so tightly that Elena worried about her ribs and lungs. Bonnie tells her Caroline will be there in a few minutes. They schedule a girl's night two days away, on Saturday. It's odd not being at school on a Thursday, and when she realizes Jenna usually works Thursdays, her aunt tells her that she requested the day off. They hug a few more times, Jeremy hugs her once, it's intense and filled with all of his emotions for a few minutes. He's glad she's alive. She tells him she loves him too. When it's late enough, she texts Elijah to comes over, if he wants he can stay the night again. She fakes a yawn after a few minutes and escapes to her room.

* * *

He's sitting on her bed, hands behind his head. He looks too good with that amused look on his face. She promises to be back in a few minutes, grabbing pajamas and ducking into her bathroom.

She's back and demands that he move off her bed so she can pull the covers back. She adjusts the light and makes sure no one can see anything through her curtains. She sits next to him in bed, leaning her shoulder against his.

"We need to talk." She sighs.

"We do." He agrees. He lets her begin.

* * *

"Would you have daggered Klaus if I wasn't your soulmate?" She asks. She has to make sure she didn't force his hand on that, that she didn't drive a wedge between him and his family.

"I had plans to dagger Niklaus years before I met you, lovely Elena. I may have been more focused on your survival because of our status, but I would have saved your life regardless. Is there something else that you're thinking?" His hand carefully moves over her arm, tracing patterns without too much thought.

"I don't want to come between you and your siblings. Not now, not ever. I can't imagine having to try and choose between you and Jeremy, I just-" She trails off.

"The rift between Niklaus and I was not caused by you. You will never have to choose between your brother and I." He assures her.

"You won't have to change between your siblings and I either." She promises. There's a moment of comfortable silence.

"You want to find them." It's not a question, and he nods thoughtfully.

"The only problem is that the information is with my brother and my brother alone. I do not wish to do Miss Forbes any harm, but we may have to undagger him to get it. I have no idea where to begin searching, honestly I-" He's cut off by Elena.

"Katherine." She realizes.

"What about Katerina?" He asks, wondering what his soulmate is thinking.

"Doesn't compulsion die when you get daggered? I'm pretty sure Klaus had her under compulsion, and if that lifted as he got daggered then she's out there, somewhere. We have no idea where she is." Elena thinks aloud.

"She's probably long gone by now. I am not going to pursue her." He says casually.

"You aren't?" Confusion colors Elena's tone. She's not fond of Katherine, but she's relieved he's letting that go.

"Niklaus's torture was likely sufficient and painful. She will not cross us again, I am done chasing after her. She has run long enough to learn her lesson." Not to mention that honestly, her fate was undeserved.

"If we do see her again, I think she'd be happy to hear that." Elena murmurs. He agrees.

"Wait, torture?" She looks at him. He explains, briefly what his brother had told him Katherine had been compelled to do. Elena shudders.

* * *

She pulls the comforter up a little higher, and sinks down in the quiet minutes after that. Her back will reach the mattress eventually. He's about to ask her something else when her breathing evens out and she joins the world of dreamers. He decides to join her.


	32. Soon to be black and white

AN: Sorry for any errors, I did this in like ten minutes.

* * *

She wakes up pleasantly warm, the weight of arms against her back. She vaguely remembers moving closer to Elijah during the night, he had shifted to have her as close as she wanted. It's nice, and the thought that this would be a normal occurrence someday makes her smile against his collar. He wakes up a few seconds after she does, the moment is nice.

"Morning." He speaks first, his voice is a little rough from sleep.

"Good morning." Elena says, and she doesn't try to move. He likes the closeness of this. His soulmate is enjoying a quiet moment of just being near him, he can't remember the last person he trusted enough to sleep nearby. She has his trust and his love and all of him already. It's a nice moment, he isn't going to ruin it by a rushed want to say that he loves her.

He's fairly sure she already knows. She moves her head so he can hear her better, and tells him that she's having a girl's night with Caroline and Bonnie on Saturday. She asks if they can tell Bonnie, and Bonnie alone who Caroline's soulmate is. He agrees, Bonnie has kept their secret so far. He can tell she wants to talk to her friends about everything, as long as their lips stay sealed, he has no problem with it. One of his hands moves, and he traces patterns against her back. It's perfect, and she asks him if he wants to question Klaus in a few hours. She could warn Caroline beforehand, it might not be so bad if she knows to expect it. He agrees to it, telling her he'll be back in an hour. So she lets him leave, because she's going to see him soon. He tells her that Jeremy is still sleeping, Jenna is at work or out of the house. She nods.

She can't resist hugging him before he leaves, his hair is mussed and he looks relaxed-she realizes that she's the only one who gets to see him like this and it makes her grin. She runs a quick hand through his hair before she sinks into the hug, messing it up even further. She loves him. She loves this. She can't bring herself to say it quite yet, but she thinks that she's pretty obvious. His hand messes up her hair a little, silent payback. It makes her want to laugh. The hug ends, and she goes downstairs to get breakfast. She takes a quick shower, which wakes up Jeremy.

* * *

She calls Caroline in the last twenty minutes, and tell her the plan. Caroline thanks her, and Elena tells her that they can tell Bonnie about Klaus at the girl's night. She agrees, and asks how things are going with Elijah. Elena admits that they're good, better than she thought it could ever go. They haven't hit a bump yet. She also asks Caroline to spread the word about Katherine, and that Elijah is done wanting her death. Caroline sounds surprised, and wonders if Elijah doesn't want to hurt Katherine because she looks like Elena, but doesn't say anything.

* * *

She assures Elena she'll spread the word, the idea of Katherine's location being unknown makes her want to shudder. She wonders what all Elijah knows, wonders if he knows Katherine killed her. She ends the call, and wonders if painkillers would work on the loss of a soulmate. She decides to google it.


	33. Shades of moral gray

AN: I just got done with 8 hours of work and all of me hurts and I have to get up in 7 hours, but I wrote this for you guys.

* * *

She isn't to come in, he explains as he parks to talk. If Klaus smells her, then he'll suspect their status. It's better for her to wait, he gives her his word that he will tell her exactly what happens, and regardless of what his brother says, he will be daggered again. He has what his brother needs, he shows her. A little cup of blood, barely enough to do anything but get his voice to work, and an oxygen mask and tank. The blood is pretty self explanatory, but he tells Elena that vampires can't stand being in a house if not invited in. They can't breathe at all. If his brother can breathe, he can talk.

He promises to back in half an hour. So she sits, and waits in the car, doors locked and she wonders what being a daggered Original felt like. Maybe she'll ask Elijah, later that night. Her important questions always seem to slip out with her yawns when he's around. Sound breaks the quiet, and Elena recognizes it as her ringtone for Damon.

She answers the call.

* * *

"Hey so Katherine isn't being hunted by Elijah anymore?" He asks.

"Hello to you too." She mutters before answering his question.

"No. He told me he's over it. He said he was tired of chasing and he was sure that she was tired of running. Why?" She asks.

"I'm sure Katherine will be thrilled, wherever she is. Blondie told Stefan and I wanted to see if that was true." Elena frowns. Something's up.

"Caroline's not a liar, Damon." She says slowly.

"I didn't say that she was. Sometimes, misinformation happens." He says, a little too quickly. She doesn't say anything.

"Elena, I'm sorry." He says in the silence.

"Forcing blood on you was wrong. I hope you can forgive me someday." His voice is oddly vulnerable for a moment.

"Me too." She admits, before she says a quick goodbye and hangs up.

* * *

She texts Stefan, and asks where Katherine is.

Stefan asks if she can promise not to be mad.

She agrees.

He tells her that Katherine is currently with Damon, in the boarding house.

* * *

She'll tell Elijah later, right now, she just needs time to process.


	34. Colorful Reminder

AN: I I have the rest of this plotted guys, get excited.

* * *

He comes back, and she tells him before he says anything. She knows he isn't going to do anything to Katherine, but she feels oddly betrayed. She's with Elijah, he's her soulmate, but Damon never told her that Katherine was his. She thought that maybe some of those looks at her were because he thought she was beautiful. Not because she looked exactly like Katherine. She confesses this too, she's not interested in Damon, she just thought-he saw Elena when he looked at her. Not a copy of Katherine. She's told him about their history with Katherine, she killed Caroline. He says his brother would want Katerina's head for that. She asks what Klaus said, if he cooperated. Elijah makes a noise that she's beginning to recognize as one of frustration.

"He's given me crumbs. Evidently he wants me to follow the trail to our family. He's been working on this for centuries." He sighs, she puts her head on his shoulder. He appreciates the gesture.

"Is it a trap?" She asks hesitantly.

"I don't know. It is not like Niklaus to give in like this, but he was sentimental when I undaggered him. I'll have to think about it. Niklaus has always been a gifted liar." He reminds her, and she nods.

"Where does the trail begin?" She asks.

"In Mystic Falls." He answers, looking at her. She is human, she does have a life, they do not have to agree with each other all of the time, she has no obligation to help him, soulmates or not and he wonders if she knows that-she frowns at him.

"Stop making that face. I want to help. I want you to get your family back." She says, and he feels a smile tug at his lips.


	35. Vivid Times

AN: I'm writing slow Elijah/Elena in this fic because she's still super young. Also would any of you be up for a Dying continuation?

* * *

He tells her about his brother's cryptic trail, and after they visit Caroline, and apologize for the pain, they work together on trying to decipher some of the clues at his apartment. He shows it to her, it's just the next town over. Far away enough to have privacy from Mystic Falls residents who might recognize him or notice his habits, but close enough to be convenient.

* * *

It's not too large, but it fits him. There are bookcases in the living room that she wants to read the contents of, and dark colors everywhere. It's dark with nice touches, Elijah has a refined sense of style, although she could have guessed that from the suits. He is amused when she enters his room and instead of pointing out a number of other things, she goes to his closet and counts how many suits he has. Or attempts to. She asks if he has anything other than suits and his pajamas, and he just laughs. That was a few hours ago. He tells her he has contacts to call and talk to while she's with her family. They need to talk about their plans later, she asks him to stay over again. He wonders if he could deny her anything, because he finds himself saying yes before he has a chance to think.

* * *

He drives her back home before Jenna gets off work, she does have homework to do and she does have other things to do. As much as she likes spending time with Elijah, she needs time with her diary. Also, she's fairly sure Alaric got invited to enjoy takeout with them, and she needs to talk to him. She needs family time right now, and she'll have more Elijah time later, and she'll have girl time tomorrow night.

* * *

Jeremy greets her when she rings the doorbell, and she grins at him. The next few hours will be the normal she needs to deal with everything else, later.

* * *

Part of her wants to embrace the supernatural, but she does crave normalcy.

* * *

She wonders if that will ever fade as she walks to her room.


	36. Family bright

She's caught her diary up as the doorbell rings. She hides her diary again, and Jeremy answers the door before she can reach it. She gives him a thankful look, and she realizes none of them have really talked with Alaric since before Klaus took over his body. He's carrying two plastic bags and Jenna is carrying another, right behind him.

"We come baring dinner. Chinese food." Jenna declares and Elena can't help but smile. It's so normal, it's what she wants out of tonight. It's like Family Night. She knows she doesn't have a normal life and two other people have shared her face, but she doesn't want drama. She wants family. As she helps Jenna figure out what belongs to who, she feels a rush of affection for her family, including Alaric. He and Jenna aren't married, but since they're soulmates, they might as well be.

* * *

They watch a movie after dinner, and Alaric leaves after that. He makes Jenna happy, Elena and Jeremy have noticed. They want her to be happy, and if Alaric makes her happy, they support them wholeheartedly. Jenna deserves that happiness.

She sits next to them on the couch and asks if they're okay with her relationship with Alaric, he is their history teacher. Could get weird.

She's giving them an out, and Jeremy speaks before Elena does.

"He makes you happy, Aunt Jenna. That's all we want." It's not as eloquent as Elena was planning for her explanation to be, but Jeremy's works just as well. Jenna beams and crushes them both in a hug.


	37. Chapter 37

She has to talk about serious things with Elijah, but when she texts him to come over in his pajamas. She's already in hers and he's in her room a few minutes later, she's silent. She moves forward, and hugs him. She values her own family so highly-she can't imagine how he must feel. Her face is in his neck, she wants to be as comforting as possible. She knows he's had years to adjust to being without his siblings, but she wants to reassure him. She's going to help him in any way possible, to find them.

He doesn't understand it until she whispers that she's going to help him get his family back. He just pulls her even closer.

She's trying to remind him that he doesn't have to do this alone anymore. Having time with her family reminded her that Elijah didn't have that. Someday, she thinks. Someday, she'll meet them and she will see him smile more.


	38. sorry this was so short

She's sitting next to him in her bed as they talk. Since his discovery that killing his brother, would in theory kill all vampires from his line, he's left with a dilemma. Keeping him daggered hurts Caroline, but if he's alive, there's a possibility for everyone to suffer. They're going to keep him daggered. They'll warn Caroline before he gets undaggered again, if at all. That brings her to another thought. Klaus isn't his only family alive.

* * *

He wants to find his siblings, and she wants to help him. But she can't leave Mystic Falls, she reminds him. He can come and go as he pleases, she cannot. She reminds him that he doesn't have to stay for her sake. If his siblings aren't in Virginia, she can't go with him. She has school and Jenna would be worried. Jenna. Another thing she needs to think on. She doesn't know when she should tell her aunt of their status, who she could keep the information safe with. They debate back and forth, weigh the pros and cons while covered with a comforter.

* * *

It's her decision, and she falls asleep before she can make it. Elijah yawns, and decides they can sleep on it.


	39. Chapter 39

AN: So sorry guys, I was so exhausted yesterday that it was unreal. I just fell asleep, but I did wake up at 5am and write this.

* * *

When she wakes up because of a nightmare, he's awake too. She doesn't bother sitting up when she starts their debate again. She doesn't like keeping secrets from Jenna but she also prefers Elijah without a stake in his chest. She's not going to have Elijah there when she tells her aunt. Jenna does best with one on one. If it does go badly, she has the ability to warn him. She reminds him that she'll be spending the night with Bonnie and Caroline, as she adjusts her position. He asks if she's doing something next Saturday. She shakes her head, curious what he's thinking. He asks her to go on a date with him. She agrees, and he looks pleased. She can't help the little giggle that comes out of her throat.

"We totally skipped the first date and went straight to near death situations."

"I suppose we did." He hadn't thought of it that way. Caroline always said having near death situations with a romantic interest was fourth date, minimum. She tells him that too, explaining how serious Caroline was. Her friends are definitely interesting. He looks forward to getting to know them in the future.

* * *

Eventually she has to get up, and he has things to do too, he needs to call a few of his contacts in Greece in an hour or two. She promises to see him soon, and he nods before he leaves. She begins on coordinating with Caroline and Bonnie on sleepover details.


	40. Chapter 40

AN: I am going to work on explaining how soulmates are perceived in this chapter, thank you Siberia21. Also there will be Klaroline in this, it's just really slow, and if you want any of the other Originals with someone, let me know!

* * *

Elena gives herself time to think it through by herself while she's taking a shower. She still thinks she should tell Jenna when she's dressed and brushing her hair. So she takes a deep breath and finds Jenna at the kitchen table.

"I have something to tell you." Elena says hesitantly.

"I do too." Jenna confesses, and Elena tells her she can go first.

"John wanted to talk to you about him being your biological father. I was going to tell you earlier, but then there was the whole thing with Klaus and I just didn't have a good time-" The words come out without a pause. Elena interrupts her.

"Jenna. It's okay. I'll call John in an hour and figure it out." Elena's wearing what Jenna has mentally categorized as her Hiding Something Big face. Since the issue of John isn't fazing her at all, she must need to tell her something really big. She runs through a mental list of what it could be, and is halfway through before Elena just admits it.

"I know who my soulmate is." The words are somewhat freeing. Jenna begins to smile.

"It's Elijah. I could see in color after I first saw him." The words come out rushed, and Jenna takes a deep breath.

She had wondered a little, he had been focused on keeping her safe. She didn't disapprove, soulmates weren't chosen after all, but she feels a flash of worry.

"Are you two-" She doesn't know how to say it without it coming out awkward, she's not a mom. She's the cool aunt who shouldn't be having this talk at all.

"We've barely held hands. I'm taking this slow. Like really really slow. You do not need to worry about that stuff." Elena assures her, and most of the worry disappears from Jenna's chest.

"Is he a little less, you know?" Jenna can't find a nice word for it.

"Intense?" Elena guesses. Jenna nods. That's the word she was looking for. Elena nods.

"He's a lot less intense when there's less people around. He's good." Elena says. Soulmates are matches in almost every way, they know.

They're supposed to have the same values and ideals, supposed to be the best person to fall in love with, least likely to break your heart and most likely to help you mend it. Most married theirs, but some people hated the idea, some never founds theirs. Jenna is happy for her, but reminds her that there isn't a need to rush anything. If Elena has questions, she can come to her. She doesn't owe Elijah anything. Ever.

Soulmates are partnerships, and only work as partnerships. Elena's young, she's never had a serious relationship before Elijah. Jenna reminds her that she's there too, she's working on her own relationship with Alaric. They're kind of in the same boat. Elena smiles, and nods. Relief hits her. Jenna is going through the same stuff.

* * *

Elena tells her about the first date thing and Jenna laughs when she mentions what she had said, quoting Caroline. She doesn't mention that it was an hour ago. The relationship confuses Jenna a little, but when they make coffee and sit on the couch and talk about it, it makes her a little more sense.

She starts from the beginning, and there's something Jenna can't identify when Elena tells her that Ric daggered Elijah temporarily. Jenna won't have to deal with that pain for decades, and Elena tries to be clinical as possible when describing the pain, but it doesn't work. She explains the talk, and how it felt. She describes how she feels about him, and how he doesn't push her. She explains that he's told her his history and she's told hers. She mentions his family, his want to be reunited. Jenna's face goes soft at that. The last time he saw his sister was ninety years or hasn't seen some of them in centuries, Elena finds her voice getting softer too.

Elijah isn't completely off the hook, but she does understand him better. If he hurts Elena, Jenna will make him pay and she tells her niece this. Elena nods. She doubts Elijah would, and she feels sad that Elijah doesn't have anyone to give her the shovel talk. Elena asks her to keep it secret, at least for a while. Jenna nods and promises, and finishes the rest of her coffee. The talk is over. Jenna's phone rings, and Elena needs to pack for Caroline's.

* * *

Jenna drops her off at Caroline's house, with a request to let her know when she needed picked up. She could have driven herself, but she likes spending time with Jenna, even if it is just a short car ride. Caroline opens the door before her feet make contact with the driveway.


	41. Sleepover

When they're settled in the living room, blankets and ice cream ready to go, Caroline takes a deep breath. She tells Bonnie that she's Klaus's soulmate.

* * *

Pieces fit together. She wants to be mad. But she would have doubted Caroline. She would have been worried about her loyalty to her soulmate. It's not that she doesn't have any, it's just that her loyalty to Elena is stronger than her loyalty to someone who wanted to kill her best friend.

But Caroline could see how Bonnie or anyone but Elena and her Original would be doubtful.

* * *

She had wanted her soulmate since they learned about them as kids. She had wanted a handsome prince who'd let her wear tiaras and even prettier dresses all the time. As time grew on, she desperately wanted someone who was almost guaranteed to love all of her. That had gotten worse when she had turned into a vampire. What if her soulmate was a human who didn't know about vampires? Or even worse, someone who didn't want to be turn?

It was almost nice to know that she wouldn't have that problem, he had been a vampire for hundreds of years. One of the first.

She tells Bonnie that soulmate or not, she'd pick her friends over someone who wants to kill them any day. Bonnie smiles a little, a fragile thing. She apologizes, but Bonnie does have a tendency to do what's needed, and Caroline wasn't sure she could convince her that she wasn't going to be in the way. Bonnie is hurt she didn't tell and that even Elijah knew, but Elena points out that no one else knows. Bonnie asks for the dark chocolate ice cream, and tells them that she'll forgive them, she's just going to need time on it. Elena and Bonnie nod in unison, it went better than expected, honestly.

* * *

Caroline switches the topic to Elena and her soulmate. Bonnie is interested in hearing about how their relationship is. Elena's the first one out of all of them to be in a relationship with theirs.

Caroline demands details, after a hasty swallow of cookie dough ice cream. Elena groans, but it would be nice to tell them some things. Not all things. There are things she'd told him that she expects him to keep to himself, and there are some things she wouldn't tell to her friends without his permission. They have a right to some privacy, after all. She starts at the beginning, telling them a little more than Jenna. Caroline looks interested at the fact Elena still gets butterflies around him. They're good butterflies. Bonnie privately thinks, that Elena's in love with him. She smiles when she talks about him. The thought of him seems to make her happy, however hesitant. She doesn't push it. Elena's not going to admit it until she comes to terms with it or figures it out herself. Pushing at that will only make things bad. So Bonnie keeps her thoughts to herself and swallows another spoonful of ice cream. Caroline thinks that Elijah could make Elena happy, like really happy. The thought is nice, she wants Elena happy. Their lives have been crazy mixed with a little too much misery lately. Bonnie answers the door when the doorbell rings. The pizza has arrived.

* * *

They watch happy movies almost all night. They fall asleep at three forty three in the morning, as Cinderella flees the palace.


	42. Calls in different contrasts

Caroline wakes up first, she doesn't need as much sleep as Elena or Bonnie do. She moves around her house, making breakfast and doing laundry. She has time to put all of the dishes in the dishwasher before Elena and Bonnie up.

* * *

She has a selfish question to ask of Elena and Elijah. She wants closure of any kind, involving Klaus. She wants to see him, if it's okay. She asks and Elena bites her lip. She calls Elijah and Caroline talks to him as Elena brushes her teeth. Caroline returns the phone to her human friend with a smile.

"He said yes." Caroline says, and it's good, she'll have closure soon. She'll be able to forget all about him and move on with the rest of her life. Bonnie looks suspicious, and Caroline explains it. She just wants closure.

That's all.

* * *

Bonnie accepts it and asks what their plan for breakfast is. Brunch, Caroline corrects. It's eleven forty three in the morning.

* * *

Elena calls Jenna after she's packed.


	43. Chapter 43

AN: Hey guys, I was super tired Monday and the site was down yesterday. Unfortunately, I do not think I will be able to update after Friday until Monday at the latest, I'm working horrible shifts this weekend and literally all of my time is sleeping/eating/at school/or working and this has been my first free time in three days to do this, I promise this will not be normal. I will update regularly I promise!

* * *

She fidgets nervously, she knows if she turns her head just a tad more, Caroline is at another table. But waiting for John is horrible, either way. Caroline is there for backup, to make sure if things get bad or awkward, she has an out.

* * *

She's so thankful for Caroline and her ability to be bought with chocolate.

* * *

Her biological father sits across the table from her, and there's a moment's pause before either of them speaks. Elena opens her mouth, and then thankfully, she's saved by a waitress asking for their drink order.

* * *

But the waitress leaves, and the awkward creeps back in.

"Jenna said you were too busy to see me until now." He says, and she thanks whatever gods are listening for her aunt.

"Yeah." She agrees, aware she's not helping the conversation along. She's had time to think, by herself. She wants John in her life, like an uncle again. He doesn't have any right to boss her around or act like he's her father. Because he isn't. He didn't raise her. But she does want to know about Isobel, when she was human, before she ran away. Her mother had looked at her with cold, detached eyes when they met. She wanted to know what they looked like when they were warm, and full of emotion. So she tells him most of it. Except her reasoning, and the emotions. She doesn't trust him with a look into her head yet. If he wants the reasoning behind her words, he'll have to ask.

* * *

She's never been able to read John. Not really. He doesn't say anything until their food arrives, he thanks the waitress and so does Elena.

* * *

He agrees to her terms, and she wonders if Elijah has been rubbing off on her more than she thought.


	44. Painfully Bright

AN: So I do have the rest of this and New Orleans plotted out, and Armed to The Teeth was a quick little thing I did while at school one day and I wanted to remind you guys I am still active!

* * *

Elijah looks forward to knowing Caroline. She tells a few jokes on the drive there, in the backseat.

When he parks, he looks at Elena. She nods, she's going with them this time.

He won't allow his brother to lay a finger on her. Caroline carries the little container of blood for his brother to drink. Elena opens the door, and invites Caroline in. It's different in daylight, and she stands next to Elena as they watch Elijah secure his brother with magical restraints. He pulls the dagger out of his brother's chest, and Caroline inhales sharply. The colors are visible, but faded. She opens the little container of blood open, leaving the lid on the counter. Elena and Elijah watch her open his mouth gingerly, gentle fingers on the younger Original's chin. She tips the container into his mouth. Caroline's eyes close as the colors brighten, almost painfully.


	45. Chapter 45

AN: Remember how Elijah couldn't breathe in the Salvatores' basement? I was wondering if they'd be fine with an oxygen tank. Let's pretend that's totally plausible. Also, I have a poll for this story up, if you care about pairings, please vote!

* * *

It's the first time she's ever really seen him. She moves away as she does. Part of her wants to be with him, he's her soulmate, he's hers. He's gorgeous, and she's pretty sure she sees a tattoo by his collarbone.

But she moves back, and switches places with Elijah as he places the oxygen mask on his younger brother.

"You're even lovelier than I remembered." Klaus says, looking at the two women. He takes a moment to breathe. Her human best friend stiffens. Caroline immediately loves his voice. She loves accents, and she's never been able to help that.

"You're still alive, then?" He directs his attention to Elena. He notices how Elijah glances at Caroline. She nods.

"I am." Her voice is firm, and defiant.

"Interesting." He simply says, and looks at the trio of people a few feet away. His older brother has already pressed almost all of the secrets he wants out of him. Elijah can find their family on his own. Klaus wants to be one, again. He says this, but he's fairly sure Elijah doesn't believe him. There's only one flaw. He wants to be a hybrid and be reunited with their family. Elijah tells him he will not. He will not kill Elena. Plus, there is another condition. New hybrids have to have her blood. Killing her doesn't work. Turning Elena would not work. There is no way he can be a hybrid that builds his own race. Something sounds wrong about it. He asks about the elixir his brother had witches make for Katerina. He tells him it didn't work, he had someone test it out. They died a human death and did not come back. Being a hybrid would not be worth it, if he is to be the only one. He still thinks that his brother is still attached to the doppelganger. He puts the pieces together and asks Elijah if she is his soulmate, in the first language they learned.

* * *

Elena and Caroline exchange confused looks, but Elijah responds back in the same confusing language. They speak for a few more moments and then Elijah gestures to the two best friends. Klaus nods.

"I told him you two get to choose his fate." Caroline wants to keep him undaggered, and Elena will agree to that, as long as he's trapped in the house under her name. Caroline deserves the happiness that comes with the colors. Elijah wants to be reunited with his family. That means Klaus too, Elena knows. She wants their relationship to get better. So Caroline delivers the verdict, and Klaus nods. If he cannot be a hybrid, he wants his family back. He has been cruel before, but he cannot kill his brother's soulmate. He wants family. So she will live.

* * *

He wonders how long it will take Elijah to find their siblings.


	46. Chapter 46

AN: Sorry this is so short, the plot picks up after this one. Also 65 hours of my week is going to literally be work/school so this should be interesting. Will be updating regularly still.

* * *

They drop Caroline off, and then they talk. She brings up everything she can think of. She wants their relationship, she doesn't know what she's doing for college. She knows that she wants him and is weighing the pros and cons of turning. She tells him about John and about how odd that is, and that she wants to take him to see her parents graves sometime, if he wants. She talks until they're in her room, and when she runs out of things to say, she stops.

* * *

He addresses what needs response, and they're on the same wavelength. It's refreshing to have someone he trusts unconditionally, he can't remember the last time he had that. He mentions again, he'll respect any choice she makes involving becoming a vampire, and that she doesn't have to choose what she wants to do for a while. If she becomes a vampire, the need for a human timeline of life becomes obsolete. He offers support and his shoulder, not to cry on, but for her head. She seems to be fond of doing it. He's content to let her do whatever she wants. It all will be resolved in time, he reminds her, as she starts to look a little overwhelmed as she counts the number of things she needs to work on. Time is a cure for many things. He knows better than most.


	47. Hue Kissed Forehead

AN: I am so sorry I've been busy with other fics! This fic will be updated to chapter 50 this week.

* * *

She looks like she's trying to remember something and he's about to ask if he can help when she swears.

"I forgot to do my homework." She says and he reminds her that it's Saturday night, not Sunday night.

"Oh thank god." She sighs.

"What would I do without you?" She asks. He thinks, then takes the opportunity to try and tease her. If she doesn't like it, he'll apologize, but he wants to see how she reacts to it.

"Well, you'd see in black in white, and you might have to look up the answers to your history homework without me." He teases and she lets out a little laugh. His face is relaxed, and he feels a smile slowly forming. He notices that she looks at him longer than she usually does then, a few extra seconds.

"Is there something wrong?" He asks. She shakes her head.

"I like it when you smile." She tells him.

* * *

He's about to move closer to her when her phone rings and breaks the moment.

She answers it, it's John. She gets a notebook out of her bag and begins to write as she continues the conversation.

She asks Elijah to take her with him when he begins the trail to find his siblings, since it starts in Mystic Falls. She hands him the pen and he writes that he will. John wants to pick her up after school on Monday for some talk about college that she's not looking forward to. She flips through her planner as she listens to John speak, and realizes the rest of her night will be filled with homework. She writes this down and shows Elijah and asks if he wants to stay the night. He writes that he has a few things to grab to do that, but he'd be back as soon as possible. There's so many things battling for her attention in her mind that she almost doesn't notice when he moves a few inches away.

He briefly kisses her forehead, with a promise of a quick return, and then he's gone.

* * *

She almost forgets she's on the phone with John after that.


	48. Love

She manages to continue talking to John for a few minutes until he hangs up first. Her fingers carefully touch her forehead, and something bubbly rises in her chest, and a soft smile graces her lips. _He loves her_. That has to be it. He loves her too. She can't help the happy giggle that escapes her lips, _he loves her._

They're on the same wavelength, even if neither of them will say the words yet. That's okay. She's young and still has so much to see, she doesn't expect the words. She doesn't exactly have anything to compare this to, so she doesn't quite know what to expect, but it's going to be okay. Really.

She'll help Elijah find his family, and she'll see him really smile when he sees them again. She begins to write in her journal, she organized her homework already. She writes her hope and thoughts, and she's on her last sentence when she hears Elijah return.

He looks at her, she finishes writing as he does. She closes her journal and smiles at him. There's something he wants to put a name to in her eyes, but doesn't.

She puts her journal back into its hiding place. He seems more interested in her, and she asks what the plan for the next day is as she sits on her bed. He joins her, removing his shoes first, before answering.

They'll be going to caves, there's one in particular where he thinks his brother left the next clue.

* * *

He's reading a rather thick book as she fills in the blanks for her English homework. She sighs and complains half heartedly as she rests her head against his shoulder for a moment. He offers encouragement, and she reluctantly moves her head away and works on her math homework.

* * *

She excuses herself to say goodnight to Jenna and Jeremy, and change into pajamas after she gets her homework done.

* * *

When she comes back, he looks almost unchanged, he's in the same position, still reading the rather large book he brought. But he's wearing his suit like pajamas, and she asks him to tell her about a happy memory with his siblings. She turns her lamp on, and her lights off before sitting in bed again. He begins to tell her a story, from when his family was human.

By the end, she's almost asleep, his steady and soft voice almost lulls her to sleep. Anyone else, she'd be suspicious of. A supernatural being in her bed that can get her to sleep so easily, she'd call it a trap or magic.

But it's Elijah. Elijah that has kept her safe and kissed her forehead. Elijah that loves her and is her soulmate.

She thinks she feels something in her hair, but she just closes her eyes and lets sleep overtake her.


	49. Translations

She wakes up peacefully, and sits up slowly. Elijah's still asleep, to her surprise. There's hair in his face, she notes, so she carefully reaches to move it. Her fingers come into contact with his forehead as she sweeps the hair away, but he doesn't stir. It's odd, but she has an impulse to touch his hair, and she does. He still doesn't wake up.

"Elijah." She whispers, and his eyes open. She lets out a sigh of relief.

"Good morning." She says and he echoes her.

She's already told Jenna that Elijah was going to take her on a hike for the day, she doesn't have to sneak out. She moves first, and he tells her that he'll see her in an hour to pick her up.

* * *

She has wet hair and her favorite jacket on when he picks her up. She hugs Jenna goodbye and grabs her bag.

* * *

He drives and talks about the caves, about the history of them. Elena listens. It must be so strange, to come to where he grew up and see that everything has changed. He parks and she grabs her bag and they shut their doors at the same time.

He walks, and she follows him past the mouth of the cave. She's glad she wore sturdy boots, as they walk. She takes a flashlight out of her pocket and moves to walk beside him as she turns it on.

He walks from memory, and then at one point, he reaches his hand out. He stops, and moves his other hand out too. There's something keeping him from entering this part of the caves, and Elena gently reaches her hand out too. Her hand goes past his, and he looks at her with an understanding look.

"Vampires can't enter this place, for whatever reason." He says, and she nods.

"Should I go in?" She trusts his judgement, if he can hear or see something in there that she can't, she wants to know.

"If you want to. There's nothing in these caves but us." He says and her decision is made. She moves past the barrier, and shines the light on the walls.

"Elijah, there's writing on these walls." She tells him as she pulls out her phone to take pictures. She takes them left to right, and then reaches through the barrier to hand it to him.

There are carvings that look different than the rest, actual writing. She wonders if Elijah can translate it, and he begins to translate all of the carvings into a story to the best of his ability.

She shines light onto the floor, and finds a piece of aged paper. It doesn't look as old as the carvings on the wall, she's seen paper from when the Salvatore were human. This paper looks like that. Yellowed and slightly torn, she carefully picks it up with the least amount of contact she can manage before handing it to Elijah. The carvings told about werewolves, and the names carved into the wall are his family's.

The paper is in Latin, and he tells her it's another clue, in his brother's handwriting. She suggests they go above ground to look at it. He agrees, and hands Elena her phone as he begins to translate aloud.


	50. An Interesting Visit

AN: I will be updating Colors regularly from now on! I'm sorry this was on the backburner while I worked on other projects, that was not my intention!

* * *

It's just the first step, the translation says. There's a confusing riddle that accompanies it. She wonders if she's thinking too hard about it, or not hard enough. When she looks at Elijah, he says what she's thinking.

"We need to talk to Niklaus."

So he drives and she asks what he thinks the translation means. He tells her that he thinks it's just a hint to the next step, the next clue. Elena wonders how many steps there are, how much effort Klaus put into this. Elijah just wants to find their siblings.

* * *

Klaus grins like he had been expecting them. Judging by the look on his face, Elena guesses that he had. Elijah tells him that he wants to know the exact location of their siblings. Klaus denies him this information and Elena watches them carefully.

Elijah's phone rings and he gives Elena a conflicted look. He needs to take it, but it's not something he wants her to overhear.

"If you need to take that, I'll be fine in here." She tells him and he shoots a look at his brother.

"I won't hurt your precious Elena. You have my word." He draws her name out, but he doesn't do it right. Elijah pulls her close for a moment, and puts a stake in the inner pocket of her jacket.

"I will be back in a moment." He promises. She nods.

"I'll be fine." She assures him. She thinks she is, he's not sure if that's true or not.

Elijah leaves, but her eyes stay focused on her best friend's soulmate.

They don't speak for a moment.

"Despite what you might think of me, I would never go after you." Klaus tells her and she knows she shouldn't encourage him, but she can't help it. She asks him why that is. He tells the truth, despite the fact he knows she thinks him to be a liar. Elijah's retribution for harming even a single hair on her head would be very painful.

She shouldn't feel a rush of affection for Elijah as he says that, she tells herself. She feels it anyway.

"Why won't you just tell him where they are?" The question that she's wanted to ask for a few days slips out.

"While you're my brother's soulmate, you're a new addition to our game. My brother has hated me, if not desired my death for centuries. By ensuring the fact I am the only one who knows where they are, I am safe." He tells her, with an odd look on his face.

"Elijah and I could just follow the clues until we find them." She suggests. That makes him laugh, and she tries to figure out what was wrong with what she said.

"Some of the clues involve asking me. It's my game, and it's rigged in my favor, love. You see, Elijah needs me if he ever wants to see our siblings again. I need convincing that he won't try to kill me. I rather like living." Klaus tells her and she groans internally. The door opens and Elijah returns.

Elijah tells his brother a brief goodbye, and Elena follows him out.

* * *

They don't speak until they're out of Klaus's hearing range. Elena begins to tell Elijah what Klaus said when he says he heard their conversation. She wonders how they can convince Klaus he's safe.

Elijah is thinking the same thing.


	51. The Next Step

He doesn't take her home, like she thought he was going to. They're at his apartment, and she takes off her Converse. She sits on one of the couches and she waits for him to speak first. He doesn't know if she wants space or not, so he sits on a different couch.

He talks of his brother's flawed logic, and that while he understands it, he wonders why Klaus hasn't seen how things have shifted.

"He doesn't know that killing him would kill his line, which includes Caroline." She says. Elijah gives it thought, and after an unknown amount of time, he feels something against his shoulder.

It's Elena's head. She doesn't say anything for a while, but her phone buzzes and she replies to the text that lights up the screen.

"Elijah?" She asks. Her voice is soft, she doesn't want to interrupt his thoughts but she wants to know something.

"Yes?" He wonders what she wants to know.

"What was that call about?" It's not the only thing on her mind, but it's one of the questions she has that Elijah knows the answer to.

"I know this is not a very satisfying answer, but it is a surprise. If you want me to tell you more, I can, but the surprise will be ruined." He wonders if she'll press for more, she usually does.

"Okay." She says simply and he waits for a moment.

"You aren't going to ask for more details?" He asks. He's willing to give them. He doesn't want secrets or anything hidden from her. This is being hidden from her, but for less than a week. It will pay off, or at least he hopes.

"No. I trust you." She says, and that's it. If he wants to tell her, he will.

* * *

There's a few more minutes of silence and thinking before she asks if he has any more idea about the riddle or what to do to about his brother. He tells her that he plans to see his brother again the next day, and she doesn't take offense to the idea. If it's just them, Klaus might open up more. If it was anyone else, she'd worry about the information being withheld from her. But it's a surprise after all, and part of her wonders if Klaus heard it and she didn't.

She gets up and looks at his bookshelves, and asks if he can come over after dinner. Unfortunately, he cannot. Not only does he need to mull over what his brother wants, he has to do something involving her surprise. He apologizes and tells her that he can't.

It's fine, she tells him. It's unrealistic for her to expect them to see each other every night, and she asks if she can borrow one of his books.

* * *

Elena continues to surprise him, and he tells her she can borrow any of his books. She stares intently at his bookcases and picks a book after a few minutes. She shows it to him and he approves of her selection. It's an interesting novel she's picked. He hopes she tells him what she thought of it, when she's done.

She sets the book down, carefully and moves closer. She doesn't know what he's planning on doing later, but she hugs him and asks him to be safe. He promises to be safe as he wraps his arms around her for a few moments.

When they break apart, she asks if he can take her home. Elijah tells her he will, and she puts on her shoes and grabs the novel.

* * *

It's almost odd, not seeing him. She doesn't want to reveal anything, doesn't want to lead him on or make him feel guilty in anyway. He doesn't owe her anything, but she does text him and tell him that it's odd to not see him next to her.

He tells her he feels the same way.

There are words they both want to say, but do not.


	52. Week

Monday is surprisingly easy, and she only makes a few sarcastic comments during the college talk and subsequent visit to a nearby college. Elena forget the name as soon as she leaves the campus, she doesn't care about college yet. It's just the fact that her life has become so crazy, she tells herself when John drives them to a restaurant near the college. She'll figure out what she wants to do with her life at some point.

* * *

As they slide into a booth and order drinks, Elena wonders if she's making human plans for a version of herself who could possibly turn into a vampire. She reminds herself to breathe as John asks her if she's okay.

She doesn't know if she's lying to him or not when she tells him she's fine.

* * *

Elijah sees her briefly, after John drops her off. Life is a little overwhelming, and she'd like for hers to calm down. He tells her he can't stay, and she tells him that it's fine.

That night, she reads the borrowed novel and sends him a goodnight text.

* * *

Tuesday, Bonnie stays the night because they know they're going to be up late working on a project. As they get ready for bed, they complain about their terrible, last minute teacher and their stupid assignment. Elijah is slightly worried about Elena, and decides that she probably fell asleep before she could send him a goodnight text. He's a little alarmed when she sends him a goodnight text at almost three A.M.

Wednesday is quiet, he reads while she does homework and leaves to talk to Klaus when she's asleep. He gets another hint.

* * *

Thursday, Elena takes a nap after school and he keeps her company as she writes three essays for one class, and deals with an exorbitant amount of homework. He helps her revise her essays and stay awake until two A.M. He falls asleep next to her, and she's glad Friday morning that she sets alarms, because Elijah quietly groans at the same time she does.  
Really, she could stay in bed next to Elijah for a few more hours at least, but he reminds her that she needs to get up. He's content to stay under the covers for a few minutes, his face in one of her pillows. She doesn't blame him. She jokes that she's sorry that it's probably not his favorite morning memories of her. He thinks about that for a moment. He likes any morning memory involving Elena, but one of his favorites so far is probably when she just messed with his hair. He loves having Elena close. He loves Elena period, but he won't admit to either of those things to anyone but her. He does have a reputation as a stoic, suit wearing bastard to keep up, after all.

Elena moves around and tells him that he should make her coffee. He tells her Jenna already has some brewing already, and she lets out a sigh of relief. She tells him she'll be right back. The sight of him almost asleep in her bed is too inviting, she wants to tell him to scoot over and sleep next to him.

Hopefully coffee will fix that, and she almost burns her throat on her first cup. But it works, she's awake.

* * *

She tells Elijah as she's almost done getting ready that she's going to go to school in a few minutes. He gets up to leave, and tells her if she needs anything, he'll be at his apartment sleeping. Sleep hasn't been his priority in a few days.

She wishes him sweet dreams and she leans in almost close and he thinks she's going to kiss him. Her hand is by his neck, but she just messes up his hair and tells him she'll see him after school, if he's not still sleeping.

He just laughs and tells her he'll be fully awake by then.

* * *

Niklaus and his riddle had kept him up for a few straight days. He could go a few more days like that, but he can sleep during the day. He has the surprise ready to go for Saturday. He reminds her of their date, and her eyes widen.

He tells her he'll send her details. Judging by the look on her face, it had slipped her mind.

She thanks him and they leave her room at the same time.


	53. Chapter 53

AN: I really like writing this fic because neither of them have expectations or a rush on their relationship. It's really nice. I have finals this week, so if I don't update, that's why. Have some light hearted Elejah.

* * *

As she drives to school, Elena wonders if her surprise will be revealed at their first date. She doesn't tell Bonnie and Caroline everything, but she does share it in a note in a class they have together.

Caroline asks if Elena could confine Klaus to just the house, if he shows good behavior. Klaus is hungry, Caroline reveals. The colors are dimmed a little, and it feels uncomfortable for her and certainly for her soulmate.

Elena asks Elijah via texting at lunch. He considers it for a few moments and tells her he'll see what he can do. Caroline and Bonnie speculate, in a note, what the surprise might be. Bonnie tells her that it won't be a puppy. Elena laughs at the idea. She can't picture Elijah doing that. Caroline dismisses the idea that it could be jewelry, a first date is too early to do that. They can't risk being overheard, it's still secret, but Elena still gets excited.

Before lunch ends, Caroline freezes for a moment, and then relaxes. Elena and Bonnie send curious looks her way, but Caroline says that she thought that they had English homework due after lunch.

Her friends can easily spot the lie, Elena's guess is that something happened to Klaus.

When they have the chance, Bonnie asks in their note. Caroline says that Klaus is doing better and that, as odd as it sounds, she thinks he moved to the other end of the house.

Elena tells her it's normal. She can tell the difference between Elijah being at his apartment, away or a street away. That ability just comes with time. Caroline seems to accept it, but Bonnie looks a little spooked.

When she drives home, she notices the little adjustments in her vision as she gets closer to Elijah.

* * *

When she finds him, pretending to be asleep in her bed, she laughs. He opens one of his eyes.

"Am I interrupting your nap?" She asks, taking off her converse.

"You are. Go away." He jokes and she sits next to him, giving him an exaggerated yawn.

"I'm tired too and this is my bed. You should share." She suggests, and stretches to take up most of the bed. She has an arm and a leg over his body. He doesn't mind.

"How was your day?" She asks, moving her head to look at him.

"I believe the word restful comes to mind." He says and she laughs.

"How was yours?" He inquires as she shifts to her side.

"Good. How's Klaus?" She asks. She knows he saw his brother, and she wants to know.

"Better, I suppose. He did tell me that I should, and I quote, "Hurry up and find our siblings already." He wants to see them again. However when I suggested that he just tell me their location, he laughed." He informs her and she rolls her eyes at his brother's words.

"So tomorrow." She says.

"A mere nine hours away." He jokes.

"We're seeing Twelfth Night and then dinner?" She asks to confirm.

"Indeed, unless you wish to do something else?" He asks.

"Nope." She tells him. He grins. She has homework to do, but instead they talk. The conversation eventually returns to Klaus, and she asks Elijah if Caroline could visit him sometimes. Having a soulmate and not being able to communicate with them must be horrible. Plus, she adds, Caroline might soften Klaus up. Elijah tells her it'll probably be a while before they warm up to each other after all, but agrees to it.

Caroline's loyalty to Elena is stronger than anything she feels for Klaus at the moment. Unless that changes, he'll allow Caroline to visit Klaus. Elena begins to talk in a terrible imitation of Shakespearian acting and he can't help but find it funny. It's even funnier to talk with an authentic voice for it. Elena's jaw drops a little and a slight smirk lands on his lips.


	54. First Date

AN: Sorry you all had to wait so long for this first date!

* * *

She can't help it, she's excited. Jenna watches her move around the kitchen with a grin on her face. Jenna already knows, but she can't resist teasing her niece.

"First date excitement, huh?" She asks. It's not her first date, she and Matt had dated to be more prepared for their soulmates, and they went on dozens of dates.

"First date with Elijah." Elena corrects as she makes coffee.

"I remember my first date with Alaric." Jenna says.

"What was that like?"

"It was interesting. We did a lot of talking. We stayed at that restaurant until ten minutes before they closed." Her aunt tells her.

Jenna hands her a muffin and they sit down for breakfast.

Jeremy joins them, and he sits next to Elena.

"We're on our own for dinner tonight Jeremy." Jenna says and Jeremy remembers his sister is going on a date.

"Have fun." He says before he takes a bite of muffin. Elena's a little surprised he's taken the fact she and Jenna found their soulmates before he did so well, and their identities with ease. He holds up colored pencil.

"What color is this?" He asks. He's been thinking about soulmates, and is starting to wonder about the colors.

"Red." Elena answers at the same time Jenna does.

"What's red like?" Jeremy asks. He uses colored pencils all the time, he uses colors for different shades of gray to look just right. He's a little jealous. He only knows three colors.

Jenna pauses, trying to think of how to describe a color. Elena doesn't.

"It's what blood looks like and one of the colors of fire. It's what people say you see when you're mad. It's the color of Jenna's shirt." Elena says, trying to put it into words. Until Jeremy meets his soulmate, he won't fully understand. He just nods thoughtfully.

"I guess someday I'll see what all of my drawings look like in color. I'm sure they look weird to you guys." Jeremy says, thinking of his sketches and drawings. He can't help but wonder when he'll meet his soulmate.

"Someday." Jenna agrees.

* * *

Elena looks beautiful in a dark blue dress perfect for the theatre.

"You cut your hair." His soulmate says and he grins. Her aunt almost doesn't recognize him for a moment.

"You look younger." Jenna says before she tells them to have fun.

Elijah thanks her, taking it as a compliment.

He drives, out of town. The theatre and restaurant are a little over an hour away from Mystic Falls.

She tells him that she likes his hair. He asks if she likes it. She does not own him and he does not own her but he does want her to like how he looks.

"I like it. Just don't cut your hair too short." She advises. It's not meant to take away his choice, it's just advice and he appreciates it. He looks a few years younger and Elena looks a few years older. They won't stick out quite so much now, Elena notices.

They talk and he talks of the history of Shakespeare and the plays, the mystery behind the person who wrote the plays. It's interesting and a light topic. It keeps them busy until he parks.

"Here we are." He says and she grins. She's read some of Shakespeare's works, certainly not all and he tells her to avoid Titus Andronicus, if she avoids nothing else. It's too bloody and miserable for her to like, in his opinion. If she wants to read it or see it, he won't try to stop her, but it's not a happy story. They shut their doors and he locks the car.

She thanks him for the warning in a quiet voice as they walk in. There's a few minutes before the show starts and he checks to see if everyone else is human. He's the only vampire in the building. The lights dim and it begins.

* * *

"That was sad. Poor Sebastian." Elena says as they leave. The play is about twins who are separated by a shipwreck, and end up finding their soulmates in the same city. Viola and Orsino turned out to be soulmates and so do Olivia and Antonio, but Sebastian is left alone, with no one. Almost all of the characters found their soulmate and he was left alone at the resolution.

"I'm sure he got a happy ending. He found his soulmate eventually." Elijah says.

"Maybe. What if we lived in a universe where we were born seeing in color and we didn't know how to figure out soulmates?" Elena asks. It'd make things complicated. She wonders if she'd be interested in Elijah in that universe. Probably, she thinks as she looks at him.

"Things would be very complicated indeed." Elijah says, thinking of the surprise in his suit jacket. He hopes Elena likes it.

They walk to the restaurant, it's a short walk from the theatre. Elijah has reservations, of course he does, and they're seated by themselves. The closest people are over ten feet away.

They keep talking, they end up talking about Romeo and Juliet before they order drinks and then they have a few moments to look at the menu. Elena smiles at him before her eyes look back at the menu.

Their waiter returns with their drinks, and they order. Their waiter is fairly handsome, Elijah notices, but Elena only looks at him. It's the perfect moment, he decides as the waiter is walking out of sight.

"I have something for you." Elijah says and her eyes light up.

"Is it the surprise?" She asks.

He nods.

He pulls a long, thin jewelry box out of his pocket, and he notices her curious look at his suit jacket. He opens it, leaning forward. Her lips part.

"It looks like your ring." She says and a look of realization passes over her face. The pendant is a little bigger, and he tells her that it has vervain inside of it. She notices the lapis lazuli and he explains before she can send him a questioning look.

"I thought a ring might be a little forward." He says simply and she looks at the delicate gold chain. His family is known for the design on their rings, he doesn't want someone to mistake her for a vampire or one of his siblings. A necklace can be hidden more easily, if needed. The necklace can also declare she's his soulmate, under protection of the Originals. It's too early for declarations, they're still new and both like the easiness their relationship has. There isn't pressure or expectations and she deserves that lightheartedness.

But he has enemies, and Katherine does too. If anyone happens to mistake her for Katherine, she should be protected by the necklace. Several people wouldn't mind getting back at Katherine, but no one gets back at the Originals. They just end up dead. It'll keep her safe and so will he.

"Could you-" She starts.

"Of course." He answers, and gets out of his chair. She holds her hair as he puts it around her neck. The metal is cold against her skin, and when it's clasped, he steps away. She moves her hair back as she looks at him.

"Thank you." She says.

* * *

There's something in her eyes for the rest of the night, even when they're walking to her front door. She hugs him before they say goodnight, and he closes his eyes.

When they part, she gives him a huge smile he doesn't understand and tells him she'll see him the next day. He grins at her and wishes her sweet dreams. Elijah's sure she'll want to tell her friends how the date went, and he doesn't want to interrupt that.

He tries to figure out the reason for Elena's smile before he falls asleep.


	55. Two Truths and A Lie

She asks if she can have Bonnie and Caroline over for a sleepover, apologizing in advance for not giving more notice. Jenna agrees, because she knows Elena will have Bonnie and Caroline on the phone all night if she doesn't.

Elena's grin is worth it.

* * *

"Something's not right." Katherine says as he's kissing her shoulder. "With us or in general?" Damon asks, he doesn't want Katherine to leave again, he wants as much warning as possible. He tries to prepare himself for losing her again. The weak morning light coming from the windows is a good distraction until she speaks again.

"Elena." Katherine says and he freezes. Then with a sigh he removes his lips to look at her.

"Elijah stuck around town, and he's been spending a lot of time with the Gilberts. Why didn't he leave after Klaus died?" She asks. It's not the first time she's wondered about it, it's just the first time in a few days that she's had time to think.

"Maybe he's Jeremy's soulmate." Damon says, about to return his lips.

"I'm serious." Katherine tells him.

"So am I." Damon rolls his eyes.

* * *

He looks better. A lot better, she corrects herself. The colors are so bright that she closes her eyes. Hopefully the shift will be less uncomfortable if she just waits for few seconds. It is, and she sits next to him on the couch.

Klaus surprises her by being the first to break the silence.

Caroline's been meaning to do this, it's just felt overwhelming before this. The little voice in the back of her head reminding her that she could postpone it for quite sometime, since she was a vampire with unlimited time after all, hadn't helped either.


	56. Second Date

Three weeks. That's how long they have until finals and summer. Elena starts to study and Elijah helps her with history, and sometimes they just listen to music, sometimes they do nothing but talk, sometimes they read, and other times they just don't talk at all.

* * *

Caroline is growing closer and closer to his brother, Elijah notices, and he can tell when Caroline has visited him, because his brother is always in a better mood after seeing Caroline, and his mood is even better when Caroline is still there. Elijah can go through all of the clues he wants, but he knows he won't harm him for Caroline's sake perhaps.

* * *

Bonnie hangs out with Jeremy during Caroline and Elena's allotted soulmate times, but they still make time for her, just not quite as much as she's used to. It's okay, actually. She likes hanging out with Jeremy because it's a nice change from Elena and Caroline.

* * *

The last Saturday before finals, she sees Damon walking down the street as she's walking with Caroline and Elena.

There's an awkward hello or two and then Elena asks a question that's been on her mind for quite a while.

"Why didn't you tell anyone Katherine's your soulmate?" She asks and his brows furrow, along with Caroline and Bonnie's.

"She isn't. We might not have the colors, but I love her and she loves me." Damon says.

Caroline and Bonnie discreetly roll their eyes and when Damon tells them he has to go, Elena's the one left with confusion on her face.

Damon is quickly forgotten as they have a just girls lunch, no mention of romance or Salvatores of any kind allowed.

* * *

Elijah helps her study usually, but instead, they go on another date that night. Sunday can be for studying, he reasoned, and she had already started early.

It's an amusement park, something lighthearted before finals week. He tells her which games are rigged, but she wins a few anyway. They go on the roller coasters that make her heart race and eat bad food. By some miracle she convinces him to share funnel cake with her, and her necklace is warm against her skin. Summer is in the air, but it's not too hot yet. It's just right, and Elena feels bad for ruining the moment, but she regrets drinking the extra large soda she had a few rides ago.

"I'll be right back." She promises, and he nods, keeping track of her heartbeat. She was always beautiful, but she was breathtaking when she laughed and smiled, and he knew she didn't always have the opportunity to do either of those too frequently. It was a good decision, he thinks. Then the colors fade and reappear for a moment. They stabilize, but he makes every effort to look human as he runs to her.

* * *

"Katherine. How are you human?" The man asks, and her head stings a little. His arm is touching her neck, but not pressing too hard. At least not yet, she thinks.

"I'm not Katherine. I'm Elena. Elena Gilbert. Hurt me again and you'll be sorry." She says and she knows it's true as the words leave her lips.

"Why?" He asks. She moves her still damp hand to her neck to pull the necklace out of her shirt.

"I'm the soulmate to one of the Originals." She says and he looks at the necklace for a second.

"You're lying." He says, and she can see his eyes move in the direction Elijah is, she knows he's coming. The colors are brighter with each step.

"The Originals wouldn't tolerate an imposter using their name and I'm still breathing. What do you think?" She asks and he lets her go. She takes a deep breath and she feels one of his hands on her back for a second. She relaxes, it's fine. Elijah's there. His other hand is around the younger vampire's throat but his other is still on her back and it's that moment when she realizes just how deep she's in.

"Are you okay?" He asks, his eyes searching hers for something. She's not sure what he's looking for, but she tells him she's fine. He compels the vampire to forget about seeing them, and he nods and Elijah lets go of his throat and the blond man walks away.

He apologizes for that and offers her blood, and she brushes it off. She tells him she might take him up on his offer later, but she just wants to enjoy the date and she doesn't want to get caught with a bloody mouth.

* * *

The last ride is the Ferris wheel, and she doesn't know what he's thinking, but he does put an arm around her when she invades his space. She puts her head on his shoulder and she realizes that he just wants their comfortable silence. So she gives it.


	57. Blood

The drive home is quiet, but Elena turns up a song they both like when it begins to play on the radio. It's not anything but a comfortable silence, she could talk and Elijah would respond, she knows. But she can practically see the gears turning and knows that he probably wants time to think.

She sings along quietly and his lips quirk into a smile for a few seconds. There's a dull pain on the back of her head and she can feel bruises forming near her throat.

* * *

Jenna and Jeremy are happy to see her again and Elena says goodnight, although he knows she'll be in her room in twenty minutes, just like she knows he'll be there.

"How was your date?" Jenna asks.  
"It was good. We went to an amusement park." She says and Jeremy says it's hard to imagine Elijah on a rollercoaster for some reason. She knows why, she's the only one who gets to see him act human for more than a minute at a time.

* * *

She makes it upstairs to see Elijah sitting on her bed. She doesn't know what words to use or how to phrase it so she just asks.

"Can I have some of your blood?" The dull pain in her head is starting to worry her. He exposes his arm, sleeve neatly rolled up and then his attention returns to her.

He bites into his wrist and offers it to her. It's weird and he's another first, despite being in the company of vampires, she hasn't had vampire blood straight from the source before. She takes his wrist and moves it to her mouth.

Elena has blood on her lips and she almost looks like a vampire. That road of thought is too distracting and not something he can think about. He offers his handkerchief and she uses a tissue to get the rest of the blood off, and another to get most of the blood off his wrist. She's still holding his arm, so she leads him to the bathroom and cleans it off. After she pats his wrist dry with a towel, she looks at his face again and thanks him. Her mouth might taste like copper and rust for a little while, but she feels so much better.

He tells her that he'll always give her whatever she needs, and he's glad she's okay. She moves his sleeve back down and moves in for a hug.

They listen to music until they fall asleep after that.

* * *

Sunday, he returns to help her study.

Monday morning, he reminds her that she's got it.

Tuesday is spent at Caroline's studying for their next finals, and then they're both at Bonnie's with ice cream on Wednesday.

Thursday, the girls are at Elena's house, so he stays away until Friday afternoon after finals are over.

* * *

She drops her bag and moves a little sluggishly to get ready for bed.

"Can you stay until I fall asleep?" She doesn't know if he has plans, she's been focused on finals this week more than him. He told her that it was fine and he was genuine. Dangerous declarations threaten to slip through his lips but instead he just tells her that he will stay if she wants him. She curls into him and falls asleep within a minute. He resists the urge to close his eyes as well, and hides for a few moments when Jenna comes to check on her. Jenna realizes that both Jeremy and Elena are sleeping and that she's the only one awake in the house.

* * *

She eats dinner and watches a show she's never seen before and eventually gets ready for bed as well. Then Jenna's heartbeat shows that she's sleeping. That's when Elijah closes his eyes.


	58. Chapter 58

AN: I completely forgot about that whole Original Parents deal with this story so they're just dead in this.

* * *

She wakes up gasping for air, unable to move very much. She hears Elijah say something in a sleep rough voice and then her name.

"I dreamed I died driving off Wickery Bridge. My parents weren't there, it was just me and the doors wouldn't open and I was leaving you alone and I couldn't breathe." She whispers and he lets go of her and sits up. She sits up too, and looks at him.

He assures her that nothing will happen to her as long as he is around. Already, he's failed her once with the amusement park, but she seems to sense that's where his thoughts are and tells him that wasn't his fault. They've already had this back and forth discussion, so he lets it go. They will have to agree to disagree. A familiar weight is on his shoulder and she asks him what he said when she woke him up.

"It's a word I learned as a child. It means soulmate in the language my siblings and I used to speak. It's a term of endearment and fact." He says and she asks him to say it again. She tries to replicate it and she can't see it very well, but his eyes are warm. She tells him she'll get it eventually. He has no doubt she will.

They also need to talk about summer. There's a few clues that look like his siblings are in Europe. He says that she doesn't have to go and that it might be hard to convince Jenna, but he wants to go and he wants her thoughts.

There might be a power imbalance physically, but she's still his equal and he values her opinion.

She says that she'll ask Jenna, but suggesting that Caroline comes with them not be a bad idea. Caroline and Klaus, but leave out the fact that Klaus isn't daggered and coming with them. It could work.

But that's for later, not one twenty three in the morning. She yawns and he tells her to sleep. She smiles and tells him she's happy he stayed.

Like always, she leaves him with a lot to think about.

He tells her that he won't be back in Mystic Falls until after dinner, he has a few things to do. She tells him she'll be with Caroline around that time, if he needs anything.

* * *

"For how long?" Jenna asks.

"Three weeks." Elena offers.

"And you'd bunk with Caroline?" Jenna asks.

"Yup." Elena nods.

"I'll think about it." Jenna says.

"Okay." Elena tells her and then Jenna asks what Sheriff Forbes said to Caroline when she asked. Elena says that she'll ask Caroline.

* * *

Caroline is interested by the idea and tells Elena that she can convince her mother by the end of the night. Elena hugs her and tells her that she's the best. Caroline just tells her that she knows and she'll be with Klaus for a few hours but but she'll be back after six so they can talk. Elena wonders how Caroline knows she wants to talk about something else. Something heavier.

When she returns to the house, Jeremy is still sleeping, so she and Jenna make grilled cheese and soup for lunch. Jeremy makes it downstairs with wet hair as they're watching bad romantic comedies and tells them he'll be with Matt. Jenna asks him to be safe and he tells her he will, and Jenna tells them that she has dinner plans. Jeremy tells her that's fine, he'll be with Matt until eight. Elena tells them she'll be with Caroline.

It's a few more movies before they actually talk other than to talk about popcorn or the movie.

Jenna advises her to be careful too, and Elena knows what her aunt means. Then the movie ends and she reminds Jenna that she needs to get ready for her date. Jenna gets off the couch and thanks her for the reminder as she makes it up the stairs in record time.

* * *

She has alone time, to gather her thoughts but her mind wanders to Elijah. She loves him, she knows. But it is a little overwhelming and the only person she can think of who might understand is Caroline.

She has to be careful for the next few days until his blood leaves her system or she'll become a vampire.

"What's being a vampire like?" She asks and Caroline takes a deep breath she doesn't need before she begins to speak.

* * *

"Let me know what your mom says." She requests as she stands up.

Caroline hugs her before letting her friend walk out of her house.

* * *

Elijah's sitting on her bed when she returns home.

"Hello." He says and she gives him a small smile before she sits next to him.

"Hello there." She says mimicking his the way he had said it when they had met.

"How is Caroline?" He asks. She leans her head on his shoulder.

"She's good. Don't tell Klaus this, but I think she's in love with him."

"Really?" He inquires. She nods.

"She's showing all of her signs." She had seen Caroline fall in love a few times before, she knows the pattern.

"Is that all you two talked about?" Elijah asks.

"I asked Caroline what being a vampire is like and she told me what it's like for her." She doesn't want to keep secrets and it was just questions and answers. She still hasn't figured anything out yet.

She can feel him tense up, and moves her head.

"What's wrong?"

"You have a long time to make this decision. Don't rush it." Elijah says and she shakes her head.

"I haven't figured out what I want to do about anything. I'm not going to turn just because I have your blood in my system. I was just curious to hear about it from Caroline's perspective." She assures him and he relaxes again.

Her phone buzzes and she pulls it out of her pocket.

"Caroline's mom said yes. Now all we need to do is convince Jenna." Elena says and he can't help the fact that her enthusiasm is contagious.


	59. Take A Walk

Elena has a way of being persuasive when she wants to be, Elijah learns. Jenna has somehow been convinced into agreeing, but she wants Elena and Caroline to call everyday, and if anything goes wrong, she's blaming Elijah. Elena tells her it will be fine. Jenna retorts that it better be.

Jenna asked about John, and what to tell him, she tells Elijah as they sit on her bed. He asks what she decided, and she tells him that she doesn't care what John thinks. He's not on the same level as Jenna, and he can't play the parent card. He gave that up when he gave her away.

She asks him when he thinks they can leave, and he tells her that they could leave in an hour, but for Jenna and Sheriff Forbe's sake, he thought leaving in two or three days would be best. She reminds him that they will find his siblings, and he feels more hopeful about the possibility than he has in decades.

* * *

They follow their routine, and share music and details about their days, and he's not worried until he wakes up in Elena's bed alone. He moves his arm to check again, but she's not in the room. He can hear her heartbeat, and those of Jenna and Jeremy. She's humming quietly downstairs, he hears, and he resists the temptation of falling back asleep. The colors match her distance, he can tell when she begins to walk back upstairs.

She finds him with his arm on her side of the bed, eyes open. She moves the covers and tells him what he wants to know.

"I had a nightmare. I didn't want to wake you up, I just made tea."

"What was it about?" He asks, moving so she can sit next to him. She can tell him anything, he's told her a few times before, and she has reminded him that applies to her as well. He has a lot to tell, she thinks. Centuries of memories must feel heavy after some point.

"It's nothing to worry about. Go back to sleep." She yawns and he agrees to that with closed eyes, and calls her that word that means soulmate. She grabs her phone and asks him to say that again. He says the word, and yawns. He falls asleep, and she notices that he shifts closer to her when he does. She wonders if that's a soulmate thing, the pull to be close. It could just be them, or the want to have the colors bright. Either way, she doesn't mind it, she thinks as she sips her tea and muses over a few things.

There's the possibility, she thinks. There's always a possibility she can die, like in her dream. She decides that even if that happens, she'll just have to make her life count regardless of its length. She wants to live as long as possible, to see her friends and family happy, to see Elijah happy with his family. She sets her phone and empty mug on her nightstand and closes her eyes.

* * *

She wakes up closer to Elijah than usual, and she wonders if he notices that he does that. Whenever he seems annoyed, he moves closer to her or moves her closer.

"Morning." She yawns and he opens his eyes. The mug is on her nightstand still, and he releases her so she can do whatever she needs to.

"I'll be right back." She promises. He takes the time that she's gone to think. He left something out, and he wonders how she'll react. It's better that she hears it now, she's accepted their status and isn't as daunted by it as she once was.

"I have something to tell you." He says and she asks what it is as she sits next to him.

"I never thought I'd ever have a soulmate." He admits, the secret slipping from his lips. His chest feels a few ounces lighter. She looks at him with curious eyes, and he continues.

"While vampires changed by my siblings and I have found their soulmates, my siblings hadn't found theirs as vampires. You know Finn had Sage, but they met as humans. My mother told us, after she realized what she had done, that we were monsters. She told us that we would never find our soulmates, and that she had made sure of it." He says and her eyes soften.

"I lived for over a millennium thinking I would never have anything close to this." He says quietly, and she moves to put her head on his shoulder, and he relaxes when she does.

"You could have told me this earlier. But, this does explain a few things." She tells him and he exhales.

"I was unsure of when to bring it up." He admits and she thanks him for telling her. She's not mad, she's not going to be mad. She just wants him to know it's okay to be more of an open book sometimes. He closes his eyes.

"You are very important to me, Elena." He says simply and she smiles. This might be the right moment, she thinks.

"I want to tell you something." She says and he tells her that she shouldn't rush anything, he doesn't expect to know all of her secrets. He tells her that she shouldn't feel pressured to tell him anything because he said something. and she nods. She'll tell him another day. She asks if he's okay with her having a girl's night with Caroline and Bonnie. He can tell she needs it, as long as everyone's happy with that, he'll see her the next day. He does have travel plans to work on. She tells him that she'll tell him if it doesn't work, and gives him a brief hug. He disappears and she asks Jenna about a sleepover.

Jenna agrees, she's going to be a senior and she's responsible. Jenna's still trying to be her cool aunt, and Elena appreciates it. She asks if she and Caroline can ask her a few questions before Bonnie arrives. Jenna notices the exclusion and is about to point it out when Elena tells her it's soulmate stuff. Jenna nods and tells her she'll be at home for the rest of the day.

Caroline tells her she can come over fifteen minutes earlier than Bonnie, and Bonnie agrees to coming a little later. She doesn't want to hear about the soulmate stuff. She knows she probably should, but she doesn't.

* * *

"Is it normal to be able to tell exactly where they are?" Caroline asks.

"I've experienced that with Alaric, so I'm guessing it's normal. You guys are forgetting that I don't have much more experience with this than you guys." Jenna says and both girls brush that off.

"What about the closeness thing? I can just tell how far away Elijah is when he's not around and when he is I want him in my space." Elena admits, and Jenna confirms that as normal too. Elena and Caroline both let out quiet, relieved sighs.

"It's so odd to know when they're moving." Jenna says and Elena and Caroline agree to that immediately.

When the questions end, Jenna realizes how happy she is with her soulmate. Alaric is good to her, and they love each other. Sure it's a little odd knowing his location all of the time, but it's Alaric so she doesn't mind too much. She can't imagine having to take something to take or give the colors, to block out the feeling of knowing that your soulmate is alive. She can always tell in the back of her mind if Alaric's fine or not. It's like an instinct, she doesn't know how, but she mentions it and the girls realize that's what that feeling is.

It's reassuring to say the least.

* * *

It's nice to have time with just Bonnie and Caroline. They don't talk or do anything related to soulmates, they watch bad tv and talk about everything else under the sun. They talk about senior year because of course Caroline already has the senior prank planned and it's impressive. Caroline's always been a planner and if life threw curveballs, she usually adjusted her plans to accommodate the change and went on her way. Caroline manages to stay up with Elena when Bonnie falls asleep. They decide not to prank her, they're both too tired, but Caroline whispers to Elena as her eyes close . She doesn't hear what the blonde says, as her heavy eyes notice that it's past five am.

Bonnie leaves first and Caroline and Bonnie promise to see her before they leave. Bonnie smiles and tells them that they'd better.

* * *

Caroline asks her if she can talk about Klaus, and Elena nods. They end up sprawled on Elena's bed as Caroline begins to speak. Caroline talks and Elena listens. Caroline brings up relatable points and Elena feels relief when Caroline brings them up.

Klaus and Elijah have been alive for a long time, they have a past neither of the girls can touch. Klaus is so intense sometimes. Klaus is different in a few ways that Caroline mentions.

Klaus has a past he shares piece by piece, and he's flirty and mysterious with her. Caroline begins to start another sentence but she just groans. It doesn't help either of them that both brothers are way too attractive. She tells Elena that her rant is over, it's Elena's turn. So she begins.

Elijah is gentle and patient, and she feels like she's making him wait, to graduate, to say that she loves him, to kiss him. But Elijah's just so good about it, he's so accepting of it that. Elijah loves her, she tells Caroline. The blonde's eyes widen.

"He hasn't said the words yet."

Elena says and the blonde exhales.

"And I'm in love with him. We leave to find the rest of the Originals tomorrow. It feels a little daunting, you know?" Elena asks.

"Yeah." Caroline sighs.

"Klaus misses them." Caroline tells her a minute later.

"But he's the one who put them in coffins and left Elijah a clue trail." Elena says, looking at her friend who nods.

"It was to keep them safe. Klaus didn't want anyone to use them for leverage. He knew Elijah would come looking, and that he would have to have his cooperation to find them. It was a safety net. I'm not saying he did it for the right reasons, but he did have them." Caroline says.

"Elijah told him that killing him would kill you. Klaus knows he's safe. He could just tell Elijah the coordinates and end this." Elena groans.

"I know. I think he's scared Elijah would just take them and leave. The way he planned it, Klaus has to be there. He wants to be a family again and he doesn't want to risk it." Caroline admits.

"It's not like he's going to wake them up and just move." Elena says and Caroline nods.

"You know Elijah and how he thinks better than I do. I know Klaus and how he works better than you do." Caroline says.

"True." Elena sighs.

"How is he now that he can move around?" Elena asks.

"He's good. He's a good listener." Caroline says.

* * *

They talk until Caroline leaves, and Elena asks if they can do something different that night. Elijah agrees to that, and she tells him to wear a suit.

She spends time with Jenna and tells her about the plan, and Jeremy helps her make dinner. Jenna puts the frozen breadsticks in the oven as they do. It's nice. It's family time and Jeremy asks a question Elena's thought of a few dozen times.

"When are you bringing Alaric over?" Jenna freezes at that.

"We haven't discussed it. Would you be interested in that?" Their aunt asks and the siblings nod.

"I'll bring it up to him then. Jenna tells them.

* * *

"Is Jenna asleep?" She asks. He nods.

"Let's go for a walk." She suggests and he gives her a look she doesn't understand.

"It'll be perfectly safe. The safest place for me is next to you." She reminds him and he gives in. She tells him he can pick wherever he wants.

They end up in the next town over.

* * *

She keeps the pace he sets, and her hand finds his.

"You're important to me too." She tells him, and his thumb rubs against the back of her hand. She looks at their laced fingers. It's not the words, but he understands what she's saying.

"You're my-" She says and then carefully calls him her soulmate, like he had done a day ago. His eyes are warm, she notices when they walk under a streetlight.

It's starting to get a little cold out for Elena, so he suggests they move to a warmer location. His apartment is within walking distance and she settles into his side with a warm cup of tea. They talk about their day, they talk about the weather and people they know, but they don't talk about the future and they don't mention the past.

When they get up to leave, she needs to go home to pack a few more things and catch a few hours of sleep before they fly out, she stands on her tiptoes. He waits to see what she's doing, but she hugs him and his head ends up in her neck. Her neck might be one of his favorite hiding places, he thinks. He doesn't have to worry about his expression, or anything else under the sun. He just has to focus on Elena and the smell of her perfume that finds its way to his clothing and his apartment.

She lets go and he takes her home. He'll see her in a few hours he promises.

She gives him a sleepy smile and thanks him for going on a walk with her.


	60. Plane

AN: In case you didn't see it on my profile, I'll say it here. I have not been updating because I found out my best friend was hit by a drunk driver and she died. I am attempting to work through my grief but it's going to take a while for me to update as much as I used to. This chapter is dedicated to Caitlin. I don't know where my brain went on this either.

* * *

She feels like she just got to sleep when Caroline wakes her up.

"Come on Elena. You need to say goodbye to Jenna and Jeremy and we have to go see Bonnie before Elijah comes in an hour." Caroline reminds her and ignores Elena's request for five more minutes. She gets out of bed, after a minute.

She loves Caroline, she does, but she's not sure she can really love anyone who wakes her up after what feels like ten minutes of sleep. Elena manages to get through her routine quickly enough for Caroline to be satisfied, and hugs Jenna after she hands her a cup of coffee. That alone is worth the hug. Elena's focused on drinking her coffee when she hears Jenna mention Elijah.

"If anything happens to either of you, Elijah will be in serious trouble. I'm not kidding." Jenna says. Caroline nods. Elena looks at her and they both know that Jenna couldn't do very much if something happened. Jenna would be playing with the supernatural, a dangerous game she might not survive. Elena's not sure she'll make it out alive after playing with the supernatural either but she can't focus on that so she doesn't.

"We know you mean it." Elena assures her and walks to refill her coffee.

"We should ask Bonnie if coffee has magic in it." Caroline jokes after Jeremy walks downstairs and Elena smiles.

"I've been pretty sure coffee is magical for years now." Jenna says matter-of-factly. Elena laughs harder than Caroline does.

"Have fun." Jeremy says and Elena tells him that they will.

Caroline takes Elena's luggage and puts it by hers near the door.

"You get to drive. My mom dropped me off." Caroline says and Elena nods.

"We'll be back in a few minutes." Caroline promises as Elena slips on shoes.

* * *

Bonnie loves them, but they know she feels the sting of exclusion.

They'll fix that, and as she hugs her friends, they promise to text and call. She plans to hold them to that, she reminds them as they leave as quickly as they came. She wonders if Jeremy's available to hang out later.

* * *

Jenna talks while Elena listens, but she reminds her that Elijah is one of the strongest vampires alive. He'll keep them safe. Jenna reminds them to call, and asks if Caroline said goodbye already.

"We said goodbyes before my mom left for the station." caroline says and Jenna nods.

"If I hear about so much as a scratch on either of you, Elijah will be in very big trouble." Jenna threatens and the doorbell rings. Elena checks, and wants to groan at her soulmate's timing as she opens it.

"Rest assured Jenna, I will be more than happy to let you dole out whatever punishment you see fit if they are harmed in any way." Elijah says and Jenna looks taken aback for a moment before she smiles.

"Good." There's a challenge there, but he just helps Caroline and Elena load their things in the car. Elena hugs Jeremy and Jenna tightly, and Jenna looks at him from over Elena's shoulder. Jenna talks to Elijah as Elena helps Caroline. She didn't need help and they all know it, Elijah and Jenna didn't want her to hear what they're saying.

* * *

"Is everything okay?" She asks him after they enter the car.

"Your aunt threatened me rather thoroughly." Elijah says and Caroline lets out a fragment of a choked laugh. Elena opens her mouth to say something but he wants to clarify.

"I deserved it and I do not hold it against her." Elijah tells the girls. Klaus makes a comment she can't hear, and Caroline rolls her eyes. Elena watches familiar sights blend together as Elijah drives to the airport

* * *

Of course one of them has a private plane. Elena doesn't ask if it's Elijah's or if it belongs to Klaus.

She sits next to Elijah, and tries to hide a yawn.

"Sleep. We have a long flight." Elijah murmurs and her eyes begin to close as the plane takes off. He kept her up last night, she needs her sleep.

Klaus already knows he can't travel anywhere without Caroline or Elijah once they reach England. He has a smile on his face and Elijah gives up on trying to determine its source.

He tries to determine where their siblings are as Klaus and Caroline talk. At least, he'll see them soon. He's closer than he's been in decades.


	61. Chapter 61

AN: I know I haven't updated anything but 52 stories for quite a while but I am going to change that once I get caught up, until then, here's some fluff. Dedicated to Caitlin.

* * *

She wakes up to Caroline again, and almost asks where they are. Then she remembers, the trip, the plane and Elijah.

"We're in England." She hears Klaus say. She wonders when Klaus got his accent, and what Elijah's game plan is. Klaus is smirking and she doesn't understand it but she gets up anyway. Elijah has a list of places for them to go, and she's excited. Elijah glances at his brother before they leave the plane.

Elijah drives again, and parks in front of an apartment building.

* * *

Getting settled is easy, Caroline has a list of places she wants to go with Klaus and Elijah arranges for a car to be dropped off for them. He and Elena have a list of places to go explore.

* * *

It's a blur of buildings and driving and while it's not supposed to be fun exactly, it is. They're in a different country working together and Elijah is happy, she can tell just by how he moves and speaks, he's so close to getting his family back.

"Let's break for dinner." Elijah says and her excitement is beginning to affect him. This is good, they're doing well. One country down, quite a few more to go. Their progress is promising and he has a few different places he wants to show Elena before they leave.


	62. Theories

AN: So sorry about not updating, I've been dealing with a lot, a lot and I hate not updating just as much as you guys do! Also Anna was my choice, I think they work together and Jeremy couldn't let her go and Bonnie mentioned Matt let Vicki go before Jeremy could let Anna go so that's my reasoning for picking Anna. Also this will update soon.

* * *

They're alone in the apartment Elijah tells her as she turns the key in the lock and opens the door. Elena's tired, it's why they're back after the few hours of exploring.

"Elijah. You need sleep." She tells him after a yawn, and he shakes his head.

It's so odd to be so connected to someone else, she thinks as she looks at him. They both know he's tired.

"You need to sleep, Elijah, it's been a week. Please." He's made sure she's fallen asleep, but he's been looking since they landed in Britain and it's been quite a few countries, apartments, and almost two weeks since then. He needs sleep she can see it in the colors that he's exhausted. She's worried he's going to pass out from running on nothing, she knows he wants to find them but Elijah's running himself ragged. He does everything she does but sleep. He looks at her for a moment as she speaks.

"It's just a few hours." Elena promises and he disappears for a moment. Suit pajamas, she notices and smiles.

"We'll find them. We'll find them, I promise." She murmurs and she sees him nod next to her. She closes her eyes a few seconds before he does.

* * *

A shrill noise wakes them, Elena groans and reaches towards the noise as Elijah watches her with curious eyes as she reaches for her phone.

"Ifoundmysoulmate." She hears Jeremy say, but it's too rushed to be understood completely and she's still trying to wake up.

"What?" She asks and Elijah's interest is piqued and Elena sits up.

"I found my soulmate, Elena. Her name is Anna and she's a vampire." Jeremy speaks slowly and a smile appears on Elena's face.

"Now you know what it's like." She won't get to explain colors to her little brother anymore but she highly doubts he minds. Elena sits up and she looks at Elijah. She can feel her smile grow and she looks at her soulmate.

"This is amazing. Elena, the colors-Anna and I learned the names of color together." Jeremy tells her and she yawns even though she tries to suppress it.

"Did I wake you up? It's like noon over there." Jeremy tells her and she groans.

"I slept longer than I meant to." Elena excuses and Jeremy laughs.

"Have fun. I gotta go. Bye Elena." Jeremy says.

"Bye Jer. Tell Jenna I'll call her later." Elena says and Jeremy promises to relay the message.

She sets her phone on the nightstand after she hangs up and looks back to Elijah.

"Do you want to go grab lunch?" He asks, moving out of bed.

"I was going to call Caroline to let her know what's going on and see if she can't get another hint out of Klaus." Elena says and he nods, the sun is starting to shine onto the bed and her necklace catches the narrow beam of light. He looks at her for a moment before he leaves the room.

* * *

"Okay, so Klaus said it was one of his favorite places, and that you know where they are, you've been there before." Elena says, tapping her pen against her notebook. They've already ordered, no one is paying attention to them in the bright restaurant.

"Then let's start a list." Elijah says finally after a moment of silence.

"Can I get you two some refills?" Their waitress returns.

"Yes, thank you." Elena says and the waitress disappears with their glasses. Elijah begins the list, sifting through memories and theories.

* * *

"-so Belaga is out because Kol burned it to the ground, New Orleans is out because there's too many people, supernatural and human, New York has that coven that hates him, and Mystic Falls is out because we would have found them if they were there." Elena finishes adjusting her list, there's still a long list of places where the rest of the Mikaelsons are.

"Ice cream?" Elijah inquires and she grins. Elena knows what he's asking and ice cream and narrowing down the list while eating ice cream sounds good.

* * *

"Rome doesn't have a specific building Klaus likes, I doubt he has them there." Elijah looks at her carefully marked list.

"This is in the city. That's the name of a building." Elijah notes, pointing to the name she assumed was a town or city.

"It's worth checking out then, right?" Elena asks and he nods.

"Absolutely." Elijah answers as they finish their ice cream and she tucks her notebook back into her messenger bag.

* * *

It's not a serious enough hunch to warrant planning, calling Klaus or getting blood, but Elena notes that there are guards for a reason, they're visible through the windows of the building.

"Unless they're not there because of Klaus." Elena looks away from the building and to Elijah.

"Let's find out." Elijah replies, phone in hand.


	63. Dimmed and Bright

AN: Rebekah is in a rush, therefore this chapter is kind of rushed, I'm not exactly happy with this chapter but I worked it over a few times.

* * *

"Should I tell Caroline? If she mentions it to Klaus then we might now if we're right or not."

"No. Let's just see if we can investigate first." Elijah replies and she nods. They cross the street and enter the building, Elena's heart beating nervously. Elijah opens the door and she looks at the list of businesses in the building. The two guards are vampires and while they might look like they're for the building, Elijah's sure Klaus hired them to guard the business in the basement, simply called Nick's. Obviously the name Nik is very distinctive, it makes sense for his brother to use a fake name.

"I guess that company moved." Elijah says and Elena recognizes that tone. It's time to go.

"They need to update their website." Elena complains and Elijah agrees with her and they walk out. There's no point in staying in the building longer than they need to.

"We should call Niklaus." Elijah says after they've driven a few streets away.

"Where are we going?" Elena asks.

"We're going to get blood. This is not a coincidence." The guards looked like vampires Klaus would pick, and he could see the glaze of compulsion in their eyes. It's not a coincidence Niklaus had an apartment in this city, there was a reason behind his grin as they landed in the city. He's connecting the damn pieces, he will not play his brother's game for much longer.

"Should I call Caroline?" Elena asks.

"Ask her to meet us there with Klaus in half an hour." Elijah requests.

* * *

Elijah is nothing if not focused, he greets Caroline and in the same breath tells his brother to call off his guards. Klaus does so, watching his brother with careful eyes. Caroline gives the bag of blood to her best friend as Elijah walks away from them. Elijah opens the door to the basement and looks to Elena. She walks with him, down the stairs, bag of blood in hand.

"You were right." The words escape Elena's lips but they both know it's more for Caroline and Klaus's benefit. Elijah finds the lightswitch and Elena's eyes adjust as she hangs the bag to him. There are three coffins, and Elijah carefully opens the first. Blonde hair with a pretty flapper dress, that has to be Rebekah, Elena thinks. Elijah removes the the dagger and waits before he gives Rebekah the bloodbag. It's so odd to see what Elena's wondered about after so long, the gray in Rebekah's skin disappears and Elena blinks. Rebekah she's out of the coffin holding Klaus by his throat.

"Rebekah." Elijah says and she glances back at him, as he stands next to Elena and dismisses it.

"What did you do to Stefan?" Rebekah asks in a shout, anger rolling off her in waves. Her hand tightens to crush his throat and Klaus points to his throat. He can't speak, not with her hand around his neck. She lets her brother fall to a heap onto the floor. Elena watches Klaus's throat heal for a moment before she hears Rebekah speak. Rebekah and Klaus do not scare her, and she knows they should but they just _don't._ Elijah's told her a few stories when she couldn't sleep of his human days and of his siblings, and of his long life.

"And who are these two?" Rebekah looks to her older brother.

"Stefan? What's his last name?" Caroline asks.

"This is Elena and that is Caroline. Elena is my soulmate, Niklaus is Caroline's soulmate." Elijah explains and Rebekah looks satisfied with the answer.

"His last name is Salvatore. He is my soulmate. He's far away. Where are we?" Rebekah's calmed down but Elena's pretty sure Klaus enjoys taunting his sister with his answer.

"I compelled him to forget about us. He doesn't remember you, sister." Klaus says and Rebekah looks at him coldly.

"You will return his memory." It's not a request.

"After we return to the States." Elijah assures her and removes the dagger from Kol's chest.

Now that her focus has been dealt with, Rebekah finally focuses on Elena and Caroline.

"What year is it? Is it not scandalous for a woman to wear pants anymore?"

* * *

It's so surreal to look at them from her seat next to Elijah.

Finn is reading, Klaus is sleeping, Caroline is writing something, Kol and Rebekah are on phones Elijah bought for them and he's taking it all in like she is. It was a busy couple of hours arranging how to get back to Mystic Falls and trying to update Rebekah, Finn and Kol on what they missed.

Elena closes her tired eyes for a second, just a second she thinks. She blinks slowly, just a minute wouldn't hurt, she tells herself.

Her eyes close and do not open for a few hours.


	64. Sage

AN: Let's be real, with a ton of money and vampire speed, most things are probably possible for the Originals.

* * *

He's glad that at least Elena can rest, there's a lot he discusses with his siblings, including the fact Klaus coordinated to have a house built in Mystic Falls, Finn can feel the pull to Sage, she is still alive, Stefan is living with his older brother Damon, and yes Mystic Falls was their home when they were human. It is a lot to take in, there are questions from his siblings regarding everything from his hair to the ground below, people and their lives, what human life is like now.

It's a lot and others might feel regret but this has been his goal for so long-Elijah can't bring himself to hate it. It is odd, speaking of Elena as she sits next to him. His siblings are interested in Mystic Falls, it shouldn't be hard to convince them to stay. He and Klaus will be wherever Elena and Caroline are anyway.

* * *

"See you later?" Elena asks and he nods.

"I'll walk you to the door." Elijah tells her and she smiles. They've already made sure Caroline got home, Klaus was much quieter after that. Elena rings the doorbell, bag in hand. The door opens to reveal warm light, and Elena finds herself in a hug before she can react.

"Elena!" Jenna says, it's late and she's up later than she usually is, but she hugs her niece fiercely.

"Thank you for getting them home safely. Liz called to tell me that Caroline's home too." Jenna says and he nods.

"I'm sure you both want to get some rest, goodnight." Elijah says and Elena smiles from her place over Jenna's shoulder.

"Goodnight." Elena says and his lips quirk into a semblance of a grin and he turns and walks away. He's with his family and she's with hers and it's okay. It's better than okay, it's great. It's great because he has his family again and he's happy.

* * *

"I'm sure you want to get to bed, I'll be here tomorrow morning and then I have to work the afternoon." Jenna tells her and Elena nods, she's already in her pajamas.

"Night." Elena yawns and Jenna nods.

* * *

Elijah looks at the almost furnished study, his glass and then his brother.

"Nice plan." He compliments as he takes a sip from his glass. Niklaus might be his impulsive little brother, but he also has excellent taste in alcohol. It all worked well, Sage is on her way to Finn, he gets to return Stefan Salvatore's memories in the morning, Elijah's happy with Elena, he knows where he stands with Caroline and Kol is currently experimenting with video games.

"Thank you." He's not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, Elijah doesn't say things like that just to hear himself speak, it means something.

"Finn!" They hear a familiar voice shout from their front door.

"Look's like Sage has arrived." Klaus notes, knocking back the rest of his drink.

"So she has." Elijah replies.


	65. Who Cares How Late It Is?

AN: The song for this chapter is Mad Love by the Veronicas. Klaroline skype call in this chap, Elejah, and some Finn/Sage. I don't know if they have a ship name, if anyone knows of one, let me know!

* * *

It's a while before all of his siblings are sleeping and he deems it early enough to still visit Elena. She's awake as he appears in her room, he can see the light and her her heartbeat. She puts her journal and pen on her nightstand.

"How are you?" She asks with bright eyes.

"I am well, it has been quite a while since I've had all of my siblings available to drive me mad. Sage located us rather quickly, she and Finn are inseparable at the moment." Elijah tells her and she nods as he moves closer to her bed. She moves the covers back and thinks for a moment before she speaks.

"You're happy to have them back." It's not a question, she knows he is, even in the tired look on his face, he's happy.

"I am." He confirms and she grins.

"I'm glad you have them back. Is Rebekah with Stefan?" Elena asks as he sits next to her.

"Klaus is giving Stefan his memories back tomorrow. We'll have to see how Stefan and Damon deal with it. Either way, my family and I are here to stay." Elijah says and Elena nods.

"And Katherine, if she's still with Damon." She adds and he closes his eyes for a moment.

"Indeed." He had forgotten about Katherine. Elena puts her head on his shoulder and he stops thinking. This feels like victory, his family is reunited and Elena is happy. That's all that really matters, he's sure life after this will be hectic, but Elena's asking him about little things, it's good.

"If Rebekah wants to be a senior with our class to be with Stefan, you need to enroll her soon." She says as she tries to hide a yawn.

"I'll ask her about it tomorrow." Elijah says and she nods.

"I'm not going to see you tomorrow, am I?" She knows Jenna wants to have Anna over for dinner soon, at the very least Elena wants to meet her. Elijah's going to have his hands full with his siblings and Elena knows she and Caroline should see Bonnie.

"I think we'll both be busy tomorrow." He agrees. Elena sighs.

"If things are calm in a few days, I'd like to come over. I really want them to like me." Elena says and a grin pulls at his lips although she can't see it.

"I'm sure they will." He says, and it's true, but his siblings take time to warm up to people.

"I'm certain you and Caroline can endear yourselves to her by helping her adjust to this decade. I'm not sure Sage will be as helpful, she and Finn seem quite-" Elijah pauses for a moment.

"Wrapped up in each other." He finishes, while he loves Elena, he understands love, he does not want to see his older brother kissing Sage like he had a few hours ago, ever again.

"That sounds nice." Elena says and he opens his mouth for a moment and then closes it again. She sets the pace, he reminds himself. He's not going to ruin the moment by saying anything.

* * *

"It's weird, isn't it?" Caroline asks and he adjusts his laptop screen.

"It is." He confirms, although she already knows she's right, Caroline might want him to tell her she's right. Caroline disappears out of the view of the camera for a moment and he waits.

There's a lot of stress and anticipation that Caroline could let get to this, to how she feels for Klaus but she isn't going to let anything affect this now. This is her life, he's her soulmate and no one is going to speak for her. She likes Klaus. Klaus likes her.

Caroline reappears on his screen, and smiles at him. They've been asking questions with small talk and it's fun. She wonders how late it is but Klaus asks her another question and she answers.


	66. Chapter 66

AN: I really like this quote: "I think the sign of a true soulmate isn't someone you just want to do the super cool stuff with. A real soulmate is the person who makes any ordinary day fun. Some people make all these huge plans to do with their special someone, fuck that. Find someone who you can take grocery shopping and still have a blast with. Find someone who makes you look forward to waking up on Monday." -f4bulazy dot tumblr dot com. Hope you are all having good days!

* * *

Elena knows she slept a lot, but jet lag is the worst. She texts Elijah thinking she slept through lunch and then she realizes it's a pretty normal time to get up. She sends the text anyway and complains about jet lag before she gets out of bed. He responds as she walks down the stairs to get coffee.

Jenna pours her a cup once she sees her walk down.

"Thanks." Elena smiles, it's good to be home, it's good to see Jenna in the mornings again.

* * *

Kol, Finn and Sage are uninterested in meeting the Salvatores so early in the morning and Elijah is thankful. If he trusted Klaus completely he'd let Rebekah just go with him and be done with it. Rebekah rings the doorbell impatiently. Damon opens the door.

"What do you want Elij-why is Klaus out?" Damon asks. He ignores the annoyed blonde.

"We need to see Stefan, is he home?" Elijah asks crisply and they see the younger Salvatore behind Damon.

"What do you want?" Stefan wonders, and Klaus grins.

"I came to return something you thought you lost." Klaus says and Stefan's eyes widen before they meet Klaus's.

"Now, you remember everything you thought you had forgotten." Klaus says and Stefan closes his eyes. Years of memories back in a minute, he needs a moment.

"Stefan?" A soft, familiar voice asks and he opens his eyes. The colors in his vision are saturated, he can see the brightest colors he's seen in decades. Rebekah, his soulmate, she's there in modern clothes with a hesitant smile on her face. He hasn't seen anything so beautiful since the twenties.

"Rebekah." He breathes, and her smile is bright enough to blind someone, Damon's sure. He moves out of the doorway and kisses her and Elijah explains it to Damon who snorts. Elijah spots a bottle of bourbon in his hand, it's a bit early for drinking but decides against commenting on it.

" When Rebekah was undaggered Stefan was hunting animals in the woods. My baby bro was worried a tree was his soulmate." Damon explains. Damon laughs. Elijah and Klaus do not.

"Where's Katherine?" Klaus wonders.

"Moved on to someone else, apparently. I don't need her anyway." Damon's words are slightly slurred but it's better than focusing on Stefan and Rebekah.

"Why is Klaus up and walking around? I thought you promised _Elena_ that he would stay daggered?" Damon wonders with a grin on his face despite the fact Elijah and Klaus are unamused.

"The lovely Elena is aware that all of my siblings are awake." Elijah says sharply.

"Isn't Klaus planning on killing _Elena?"_ Damon drags her name out as Elijah's eyes narrow.

"He is undaggered on the condition that he will not kill anyone." Elijah sees Klaus open his mouth and he shakes his head slightly. Klaus closes his mouth. Klaus reads between the lines. Elijah wonders how Elena is doing, he can tell she's moving around by the colors.

* * *

 _Are you still awake?_ The texts lights up her phone. Elena puts her pen down and responds to the text from Elijah.

 _Yeah. If you want to come over I'm up for it._ She responds and resumes writing. Elijah appears on her window seat and she grins. The colors are bright. She's tired but happy and he looks the same way and she can't help the happy bubbly feeling that she gets when she looks at him.

"Move over." She requests and he complies, she puts her head on his shoulder almost immediately and lets out a sigh.

"Today was long." She hears him make a noise of agreement.

"How was your day?" She asks him and he begins to describe it, Rebekah was overjoyed that Stefan still loved her too. It's good, it feels good to see his siblings happy even if they might drive him insane occasionally. The Salvatores were still suspicious of the fact Klaus was walking around, and there was an alarming amount of online shopping in the sprawling house Klaus had built.

"How was your day?" He counters after he finishes and she begins to tell him about it. It's good to be home, and he laughs when she tells him about the dinner situation. Jenna didn't know what Anna would like so she asked Jeremy. Jeremy shrugged and Elena reminded them that blood would work and then she told Jeremy to text Anna before Jenna got any ideas. She pauses for a moment to think.

"It went well, I think. Anna seems like a good person. I don't know if asking a woman her age still applies to vampires but Jenna didn't ask. I think Jeremy knows, but I think she and her mother were turned by Katherine." She says and pauses.

"I think being sired by Katherine killed her mom or something, I don't think she knows where she is or has any loyalty left to Katherine." Elena wants to make sure her brother's soulmate is safe and that Elijah knows what she does.


	67. Dates

Elena's dream is interupted by her ringtone, she opens bleary eyes to stop the noise. Caller ID says it's Elijah though, so Elena answers it.

"You're awake." Elijah says instead of going with another greeting, like _sorry for waking you up love of my life_ , or _should I let you get back to sleep?_

"Thanks to you, I am. Everything okay?" Elena asks, the colors are fine, so she knows that at least he's fine.

"I was wondering if you were free today or if you had plans." Elijah sounds like he's up to something and he's getting closer, the colors are brighter.

"I did have plans to _sleep in_." Elena informs him, she wants to pull her comforter over her head and sleep for a while longer. Elijah pauses.

"Any plans other than that?" He asks and Elena laughs.

"I'm sensing that you want me to get out of bed and have plans with you." Elena says.

"You guessed correctly." Elijah tells her and asks if she'll be out of bed by the time he gets to her house.

"Maybe." Elena says and he laughs.

* * *

She's still not out of bed, comforter over her head. Elijah slips off his shoes and sits next to her, carefully pulling the comforter away from her pillow.

"Elena." He draws out her name in that way of his that she knows she likes.

"You're the worst." Elena complains with a voice edged with sleep, eyes still closed, hand trying to find the edge of the comforter to pull it back down.

"You love me anyway." He says, the words slip out before he can think about it.

"I do. Even when you don't let me sleep." Elena replies sleepily.

"So you don't want to get out of bed and have breakfast with me?" Elijah wonders and Elena groans.

"Will there be coffee?" She asks and Elijah knows she'll be up in a few minutes.

* * *

It's nice to get away from Mystic Falls, but Elena's pretty sure he just wants to get away from everyone else. His house is lovebird central save for Kol, and the morning's bright, promising warm weather. The roads aren't too busy, Elena stretches as she looks out the window.

"So the plan's breakfast?" Elena asks and Elijah keeps his eyes on the road.

"After breakfast, whatever you want. Except going back to sleep." Elijah tells her with a straight face and she rolls her eyes.

"So demanding." She jokes and Elijah glances over to see her face to make sure she isn't serious.

"Any ideas?" Elijah asks and Elena shakes her head.

"Surprise me." Elena decides and he has a wonderful grin on his face with that answer.

* * *

"You play music?" Caroline asks and Klaus nods, hands ghosting over a guitar. She could easily see him being a famous musician in another life. There aren't very many times where she hates being a vampire, but there are possibilities like that one that make her wish she could be human to do it.

"I do too. I haven't practiced in a while but I'm okay on guitar and I can sing." Caroline tells him and Klaus looks at her with a grin.

"I think I'm a little out of practice too. But we could fix that, if you want." Klaus suggests.

"I do." Caroline says and he picks a guitar for her to start on.

* * *

"Your hair was bloody awful." Rebekah laughs and Stefan rolls his eyes.

"Everyone had hair like that." He defends himself and Rebekah laughs harder.

"We're not looking at pictures of _everyone_ , though." Rebekah reminds him and flips the page in the book of pictures.

"What the hell were you wearing?" Rebekah asks, and Stefan doesn't even try to defend himself.

"It was the nineties." He excuses and Rebekah brushes some of her hair out of her face.

"Clearly, you need me so you don't look ridiculous." Rebekah jokes and he shrugs.

"Maybe." Stefan answers.


End file.
